Ecuador: Esmeraldas, Manabi inaugurates early warning system for natural disasters

Ecuador beaches have for the first time a modern early warning system

andes.info.ec Guayaquil, December 30 (Andes) .- The government of Ecuador inaugurated Friday a modern early warning system on the beaches of the provinces of Esmeraldas and Manabi, the most affected by the earthquake last April 16 and still suffer some havoc For the more than 3,000 replicas that have been registered since that date.

“This holiday can come quietly to the beaches of Manabí and Esmeraldas, we have installed 93 early warning systems for tsunamis,” said the Vice President of the Republic, Jorge Glas, who supervised the operation of the system, which is installed for the first time in the Beaches of Ecuador, during a tour that realized by spas of Esmeradas.

The Security Coordinating Ministry reported that during this week the sirens of the Early Warning System (SAT) of tsunamis and dam overflows have been tested. Only in Esmeraldas were the alarms placed at 36 points.

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This activity helps the population to become familiar with the sounds of sirens, to identify each of the signals and to know what to do in each case.

The SAT is a technological mechanism that allows to monitor during the 24 hours and alert immediately in case of natural disasters. It is controlled by institutions such as the Integrated Safety Service ECU 911, the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School (IG), the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Inamhi), the Oceanographic Institute of the Navy (Inocar) (SGR), in addition to the direction of the Ministry of Security.

In total, 93 early warning points for emergencies such as tsunamis caused by earthquakes of magnitudes greater than 7.4 degrees will be installed. Only in Manabí have they already installed in 57 points.

In a statement, the Ministry of Safety indicates that the system has several technical elements such as buoys, radars, seismic and hydrological stations (seismographs and tide gauges), accelerometers, as well as monitoring and maintenance of the seismic, Control platforms, institutional network, signage, with the most advanced technology in communications.

Each point includes: sirens with a range of up to 2 to 3 kilometers, depending on geography and relief; And a video surveillance camera that will also contribute to the public safety of the sector, being monitored by the ECU911.

These points will remain interconnected to the ECU911, which in addition to alerting against a possible tsunami, may send messages of prevention and citizen safety.

The SAT has a solar panel that gives it energy autonomy, which implies that if there is a power outage due to some natural event, it keeps running.

In addition, the Secretariat of Risk Management is implementing evacuation route maps and safe sites, as well as training the population in the measures to be taken in response to earthquakes and tsunamis. Read Article