Home / Science / Indonesia taps mosques for earthquake early warning system
Indonesia taps mosques for earthquake early warning system
12 Oct
Summary
- Mosque loudspeakers are being tested as earthquake warning systems.
- The trial aims to reach hard-to-reach Indonesian communities.
- The project runs until 2030 and is still in prototype stages.
A five-year trial is underway in Indonesia to assess the feasibility of using mosque loudspeakers, commonly broadcasting the call to prayer, as part of an earthquake early warning system. The initiative, led by Japanese disaster scientist Dr. Inoue Hiroshi, seeks to reach remote and hard-to-access communities with crucial seconds of warning before seismic waves arrive. This approach leverages Indonesia's extensive network of hundreds of thousands of regularly maintained mosques.
The project, running until 2030, aims to overcome limitations of mobile-based warnings, which can fail if communication infrastructure is disrupted by earthquakes. While the system is still a prototype and not yet issuing public warnings, its potential is significant. Researchers are also exploring alarm systems in school loudspeakers and using radio and television transmissions.
Indonesia and Japan, both on the Pacific Ring of Fire, face frequent seismic activity. The research also examines differing survival strategies, contrasting Japan's 'drop and cover' guidelines with Indonesia's populace's tendency to evacuate due to building vulnerabilities. Simulations are being conducted to refine response guidelines for various construction types.
