As countries commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, it has been revealed the $400 million Tsunami early warning system isn’t working properly.
Many of the special buoys used to transmit tsunami warning data have been cut adrift or damaged over the years and not replaced, reducing the effectiveness of the system built to protect 26 countries in the region.
Experts say the only two buoys deployed in Thailand’s waters are not working and Thailand’s National Disaster Warning Centre said a satellite channel rental contract for the buoys expired last year and was not renewed.
Smith Thammasaroj, a former head of the Thai agency has urged officials to review and upgrade the warning system without delay.
”I don’t understand why it is not a priority for the agency concerned to fix or replace them with new ones,” Smith told the Bangkok Post.
"We can’t avoid another tragedy if we don’t have the buoys to warn us in advance,” he said.
