Tsunami, earthquakes, landslides:

Forecasting station for advance warning

by Nimal WIJESINGHE Anuradhapura Additional district group corr

Following the tsunami in December 2004 the geologists in the southern province have recorded number of minor earthquakes, in several parts of the country.

According to the geographers, geologists and seismologists as there is a inference that new seismological zone is taking a new shape in the central Indian Ocean below Sri Lanka, about 1,500 kilometres away. In this zone, under observation a large number of medium scale earthquakes have been detected bearing special identical features.

In the context it has now become a matter of national importance to establish a network of 'seismometers' in Sri Lanka.The Government has entrusted this national task to the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau GSMB.

Dr. N. P. Wijayananda the Chairman GSMB told the Sunday Observer that at present there was only one Seismological station at Pallekele. But in the wake of an active earthquake zone was in the process of development between Sri Lanka and Australia single measuring and a forecasting station was thoroughly inadequate to grasp the scientific structure of the increasing earthquakes, Dr. Wijayananda pointed out further.

"With the help of Germany at present we are engaged in setting up two more seismological stations armed with most sophisticated waves measuring equipment including seismometers, at Mahakanadarawa in the NCP and Hakmana in the Southern Province.

The Geo Research Institute of the German government (GFZ) spends Rs. 20 million for the two stations including technical electronic and seismological expertize" Dr. Wijayananda said.

In addition to the two new forecasting stations a seismometer would be installed at the GSMB head office Colombo and there will be a linkage among the four centres round the clock once the project has been completed.

Our scientists jointly with the assistance of German counterparts have now completed the phase one of the project.

Mahinda Seneviratne a seismologist works as the team leader of the project was at Mahakanadarawa along with a team of experts including two german field Engineers.

Amdereas Munschow and Thomas Zeike completing the fixing of antenna disc was highly optimistic about the value of the project, in facing the future tsunami disasters, earthquakes,landslides and flooding, in time.

"Before the end of 2009 we will be able to commission the two new seismological centres and link them to Pallekele and the GSMB headquarters.

This network will be connected to the German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS) round the clock.

The mechanism will warn in advance about the micro and medium earthquakes within Sri Lanka and Tsunami disasters in the Indian Oceanic Zone.