Worldwide Tsunami warning system from UN by June 2007, coverage of Indian Ocean by June 2006
Babu Ghanta, Special Correspondent
January 19, 2005

UN is forging forward to create the worldwide Tsunami warning system that will not only cover Indian Ocean but also vulnerable Caribbean and the Eastern coastline of America.

According to Susan Williams, an official with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UN is in the process of consolidating the proposals from Australia, China, India, United States, Japan, France and others.

After the Tsunami, many nations hurriedly announced initiatives to show what they are doing about it. Soon all the nations after making some initial assessment understood the scope of such system is so large that it is only United Nation who can deliver anything like that.

Experts attending the biggest gathering on disaster reduction, which opened on January 18th, 2005, in Kobe, Japan, said a basic system could be up and running in the Indian Ocean by June 2006 and a global system, including the vulnerable Caribbean, by June 2007.

Junichiro Koizumi, Japan's prime minister of Japan announced that Japan will like to take the leadership in this effort and contribute heavily to the tune of US$30 million.

India and China have both announced international gatherings on Tsunami warning and efforts for implementing the same.

United States also wants to help coordinate the efforts all over the world.

Jan Egeland, UN head of humanitarian affairs, said UN concerned about duplication of efforts have taken the matter up and determined to deliver the global Tsuanmi warning system. UN is also concerned about the world neglecting other worldwide hazards like hurricane, disease and so on.