Date:30/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/30/stories/2004123002141400.htm

International

Work on alert system "soon"

LOS ANGELES, DEC. 29. International disaster officials will likely lay down the groundwork for a life-saving Indian Ocean Tsunami alert system at a meeting as early as next month, a top expert said.

Talks about setting up a warning system similar to the one in the Pacific Ocean will take place at the U.N.-sponsored World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Japan, said Dr. Laura Kong, Director of the International Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii yesterday.

``Things are moving very quickly towards establishing an Indian Ocean warning system and I know there will be a lot of discussion in Kobe with delegates saying that we have to do something immediately,'' she said.

— AFP