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The tsunami warning system in Nicaragua

Wilfried Strauch
Instituto Nicaraguense de Estudios Territoriales (INETER), Managua, Nicaragua.
E-mail: wil@ibw.com.ni

Abstract:
After the catastrophic tsunami struck the Pacific coast of Nicaragua in 1992, a strong interest arose in establishing a tsunami warning system. No seismic and mareographic networks did exist and the communication with the coastal areas was poor. There was no organisation to monitor and transmit warning messages. In 1993 INETER began to develop the monitoring of seismic and volcanic phenomena and to establish an information and warning system. The seismic network now comprises 20 telemetric stations and via INTERNET exists direct access to other seismic stations in the region. In 1998, six digital mareographic stations will be installed along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Nicaragua. The seismic data centre works around the clock and processes any detected seismic event to report its parameters within a few minutes. The Civil Defence headquarters transmit alert messages to the coastal population through radio communication.