Tsunami warning buoys to be installed, replacing Thailand’s out-of-action buoys

Tsunami warning buoys will be re-installed after one buoy got loose and floated off and the other appeared to have been scavenged for parts. The buoys transmit real-time data, allowing officials to detect underwater earthquakes.

30 experts from Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation departed from the Phuket Deep Sea Port to install the buoys. First, they will replace the buoy located about 600 nautical miles west of Phuket. Authorities say the buoy appears to have been broken into. The battery and other equipment are missing.

Phuket vice governor Wikom Jakthi says the money spent on the tsunami warning system is a worthwhile investment that will reduce the loss of life in the future. He asks that everyone unite and look after the warning systems.

“Please have confidence in the tsunami-monitoring and warning system… I have focused on improving the country’s tsunami analysis and warning system to be more efficient, especially so that the information on which the decision for issuing a warning is provided faster, so that people can receive correct information from government officials and we can prepare to evacuate people in a timely manner.”

SOURCE: Phuket News