NORTH SULAWESI BADLY NEEDS TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

Manado, Indonesia, Nov 21 (ANTARA) - North Sulawesi badly needs a tsunami early warning system (TEWS) because the province is prone to earthquakes, a provincial councilor said.
The provincial administration should allocate funds for the installation of TEWS in the provincial people's interest, North Sulawesi Legislative Council (DPRD) member Steven Kandouw said here Friday.
He said the absence of a tsunami early warning system in North Sulawesi indicated that the provincial administration was not responsive to the local people's needs, including their need for precautions against powerful earthquakes which had the potential to cause tsunami.
Kandouw said in 2006 the DPRD had proposed the installation of TEWS in several parts of North Sulawesi but the proposal was not responded to by the regional government.
He said, costing about Rp5 billion per unit, TEWS could be acquired from developed countries such as Japan and the United States.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono launched a TEWS at the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Jakarta on Tuesday, November 11, 2008.
The TEWS was built by the government and was technologically and financially supported by five countries -- Germany, France, the United States, China, and Japan.
On the occasion, BMKG chief Dr Sri Woro Harijono said the dedication of the apparatus was part of its success in coordination with various organizations and institutions at home and abroad.
"It is also part of Indonesia's consistent efforts in detecting a tsunami in advance," Sri Woro said, adding that TEWS was built to protect Indonesia from the dangers of a tsunami.
Data from the BMKG indicated that 57 percent of Indonesia's coasts, around 46,170 kilometers of a total 81,000 kilometers coastline are prone to tsunamis.
Sri Woro said the TEWS would give information to the people in coastal areas about a tsunami five minutes after a powerful earthquake.