Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 9 Oct: A siren sounding test was conducted at 11 a.m. on Friday to raise public awareness about earthquakes in Uttarakhand and to test the state’s earthquake early warning system. During this time, alerts were received on all 112 sirens installed in the state. A test alert was also received on the Bhudev mobile app. This mock drill tested the sirens and sensors installed under the earthquake early warning system.
Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has directed that sirens be sounded for testing on the 9th of every month at 11 a.m.
During the test, Secretary Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Vinod Kumar Suman was present at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) and monitored the mock drill. Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee connected with the SEOC online and monitored the testing process. The functioning of the sirens and the alerts received on the mobile app were observed to assess the system’s status. Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman stated that the testing of the earthquake early warning system was largely successful. Scientists at IIT Roorkee are identifying locations where technical difficulties in the operation of sirens were encountered during the testing. These deficiencies will be assessed and addressed to ensure that all sirens function effectively as needed.
He stated that the primary objective of this testing was to assess the actual performance of the earthquake early warning system installed in the state. This was done to verify that the sensors installed to detect seismic activity and the sirens installed to disseminate warnings were functioning properly. Regular testing will help identify technical deficiencies and address them promptly. This can improve the reliability and effectiveness of the warning system in the event of an actual earthquake.
Suman stated that, currently, 169 sensors and 112 sirens have been installed under the earthquake early warning system in the state. Efforts are being made to strengthen the system of monitoring seismic activity and disseminating timely warnings through these devices. Regular testing of sirens is an important part of this system, ensuring that there are no technical obstacles in disseminating warnings to the public when needed.
He said that an important objective of such testing was to familiarize the public with the sound of the siren. This would help people understand that they need to be alert and take necessary precautions when the siren sounds. He clarified that the siren sounded today was part of a pre-planned test, and not a warning of any actual earthquake.
Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman appealed to the public to keep the updated version of the Bhudev app installed on their mobile phones and grant the app location permissions, so they can receive warning messages in case of a real emergency. He stated that strengthening the technical system, along with public awareness and personal vigilance, is essential to mitigate the impact of disasters like earthquakes. The state government is continuously working with relevant institutions to make the earthquake early warning system more effective and address technical deficiencies.
Additional Chief Executive Officer (Administration) Prakash Chandra, Additional Chief Executive Officer (Execution) (DIG) Rajkumar Negi, and Joint Chief Executive Officer Dinesh Kumar Punetha were present on the occasion. According to Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, the siren and system will be tested every month.
The siren sounding at 11 a.m. on the 9th of every month will be part of the regular system testing. During this testing, it will be checked whether the sirens installed in the state are functioning properly. If any technical problem is found in the operation of the siren at any location, action will be taken to rectify it immediately. This regular testing will identify technical flaws in a timely manner and ensure the effective operation of the warning system in the event of an actual disaster.
Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman stated that, currently, 169 sensors and 112 sirens have been installed in the state of Uttarakhand under the Earthquake Early Warning System. These sensors monitor seismic activity and disseminate warnings through a designated system. He added that a proposal to install more sensors is underway under the Earthquake Early Warning System Project, in collaboration with USDMA and IIT Roorkee. The installation of additional sensors will further improve the monitoring and warning system’s capabilities for future seismic events, and provide more accurate seismic warnings.
