Tsunamis and earthquakes to be promptly informed on mass media

An aerial photo of tsunami

These regulations are included in the Statute for Information and Warning of Earthquakes and Tsunamis issued by the Prime Minister attached to Decision 264/2006/QĐ-TTg.

 

According to the Statute, the Institute of Global Physics (IGP) is the only agency with the competence to collect and analyze information to notify earthquakes and tsunamis within Vietnam’s territories. In case of an earthquake measuring over 6.5 on the Richter Scale within the Eastern Sea, apart from broadcasting the “earthquake news", the IGP must consider all possibilities of a tsunami so as to issue a "Tsunami warning" at four levels – no-existent; small; strong; and serious.

When discovering the possibilities of strong or serious tsunami, the IGP must immediately send the "Tsunami Warning" to the Central Steering Board for Flood and Storm Prevention and the National Committee for Search and Rescue. The warning will be repeatedly delivered on mass media in coastal areas affected by tsunami threats as well as on central television and radio channels. When a tsunami really ends or fails to show up, a “final message on tsunami” will be transmitted.

By Xuân Hồng
(Source: Decision 264/2006/QĐ-TTg)