The Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) is organising a technical seminar to seek the views, co-operation and assistance of concerned governments and private agencies/organisations in developing an action plan for installation of 'Disaster Warning System.'
It is meant to forewarn and create awareness among people living in the coastal areas of Pakistan and neighbouring islands.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who was chief guest at the sixth Convention of the University in March this year, had briefly reviewed a report prepared by SSUET on this issue, and had assured full government support in creating the infrastructure which will help prevent the losses caused by tsunami disaster.
Unesco meeting held in Mauritius in April 2005 had offered to provide technical know-how and expertise to Indian Ocean countries developing warning system in their vulnerable coastal regions.
Some of the tsunami-hit countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are already developing their technical capabilities/capacities to detect, monitor, analyse, and provide warning about tsunami.
Pakistan also plans to develop and instal a 'tsunami warning system' at Karachi which, besides Karachi Region, will also cater to the needs of Sindh-Mekran coast, Western Indian Coast up to Rann of Kutch, Eastern Coastal Region of Iran and Coastal Region of Qatar/Oman.
According to experts at Sir Syed University, the Coastal Region of Sindh and Balochistan has in the past experienced many natural disasters like storms, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, epidemics, oil spills, etc which caused a loss of life and property. However, experts point out devastating earthquakes, occurring in sea/coastal water generate tsunami which cause havoc and completely destroy the coastal regions.
According to them, the tsunami of 1947 at Mekran coast and 1819 in Runn of Kutch area are examples of wide devastation. Due to thinly populated areas, the loss of lives in 'these tsunami disasters was in thousands and not in millions.
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