Indonesia Looks to Mosque Loudspeakers to Double as Earthquake Warning Systems
A five-year trial is assessing whether the loudspeakers used to broadcast the call to prayer can help to warn hard-to-reach territories
TL;DR
- Indonesia is trialing an earthquake early warning system using mosque loudspeakers.
- The system aims to reach remote communities where other communication networks may fail during earthquakes.
- Mosques offer a pre-existing, well-maintained network of loudspeakers, overcoming infrastructure challenges.
- The pilot scheme is assessing the feasibility of adapting the loudspeakers for seismic alerts.
- This initiative acknowledges the speed of earthquake waves, where even a few seconds of warning can be critical.
- Researchers are also studying different survival strategies based on local building construction and cultural responses.
- Similar projects using mosque loudspeakers for disaster alerts are being explored in other Muslim-majority countries like the UAE and Uzbekistan.