People watching cable television can now receive earthquake alerts on their screens after the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) and Eastern Television (ETTV) yesterday launched a joint initiative to provide the service.
A similar service is available in other countries, such as that provided by the NHK network in Japan. ETTV is the first television network in Taiwan to provide such a service.
CWB Director-General Shyn Tzay-chyn (辛在勤) said the bureau already provides earthquake information through a state-run public-warning system, as well as a mobile app.
It has not forgotten the need to transmit the same messages via televisions, which can reach more people, Shyn said.
The cooperation began two months ago when the bureau was approached by ETTV, he said.
“When it comes to earthquake warnings, the transmission must take place in a matter of seconds [after tremors are detected]. If this precious time is wasted sending the message out over different systems, it would defeat the purpose of quickly gathering information to save lives,” Shyn said.
“ETTV surprised me by agreeing to have a specific line linked to the bureau’s system and the project deserves our full support,” he said.
ETTV chairman Joseph Fan (范瑞穎) said that the bureau offers more than just weather information, and all this information needs to be shared with the public.
“I was told that the only sacrifice we would have to make is that the alert message would be jammed into the program and displayed right at the center of the screen,” Fan said.
“I asked what better time there is to show the warning than when the earthquake is happening, because every second counts when it comes to disaster relief,” he said, adding that he is glad that ETTV can become a channel that conveys life-saving information.
According to the network, the alert would be flashed on TV screens whenever the bureau detects an earthquake of magnitude 5 or higher, or a local intensity of level 3 or above.
The messages, which are to be displayed at the center of screens for about 33 seconds, would inform people about the approximate epicenter of an earthquake and locations that might experience higher intensities, it said.
Bureau Seismology Center director Kuo Kai-wen (郭鎧紋) said that the CWB can disseminate warning messages about 15 seconds after an earthquake is detected.
Messages warning about a magnitude 6.6 earthquake on Feb. 6 were sent out 12 seconds after the temblor was detected, Kuo said.
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