Mentawai tsunami: solar powered radios and satellite phones could save lives

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The October 25 tsunami took nearly 500 souls in the Mentawai Archipelago.
There have been rumors on the Internet that the Indonesian tsunami alarm method had not been functional and failed to protect the people. This does not appear correct, even if it is exact that over half of the buoys are currently not operative.
A warning has been transmited by the indonesian TV stations in due time after the tremor. But it was inoperative for the population residing there, as they do not have ac, TV, or cell-phone coverage. How to send tsunami alerts to them?.
Although an alarm was sent on the Indonesian national TV stations 10 minutes after the quake hit off the littoral of Sumatra, most of the Mentawai coastal villages did not receive it. They do not have satellite telly.

The best procedure to send out a tsunami warning to these populations would be to use the Mentawai-language radio frequency broadcasted from Padang that they listen to daily, using simple battery powered radios. The next phase will be to present each village-head with a solar-powered radio that can stay for all time on and be employed as a tsunami alarm instrument.

Siloinak Surf Resort is approaching this local radio station to propose assistance to install a continual protected communication channel with the Indonesian tsunami warning agencies. This will allow them to broadcast a tsunami warning 5 minutes barely after the earthquake.

Ideally, each village should also be donated a solar-powered Indonesian-made satellite phone PASTI, the rates of which are affordable even to poor fishermen. They would be operated by the village grocery-store, church or village leader, and could be used as an advanced warning system managed by the population themselves. Siloinak Surf Resort is trying to raise money to acquire and donate these radios and phones to the villages.

To learn more about Siloinak Mentawai Surf Resort http://www.mentawaiadventure.com efforts to help tsunami-hit populations, contact Gilles Bordessoule at info@mentawaiadventure.com or consult the Sustainable Development http://www.mentawaiadventure.com/en/...ustainable.php section of Mentawai Adventure's website
Siloinak Surf Resort is a surf camp that organizes also sustainable development actions.
www.mentawaiadventure.com