‘It just takes 2 minutes to alert in Japan’

Satake, who is in the Capital for a two-day brainstorming session, says that Japan, which has among the most advanced tsunami warning system, has been finetuning the system since 1952. ‘‘Earlier, it used to take 20 minutes after the earthquake for a tsunami to be recorded. In 1983 there was a tsunami in the Japan Sea and it took seven minutes to predict. But the tsunami reached in five minutes,’’ said Satake. So the system was finetuned further, and now it takes two minutes to predict.

Japan has in place 300 earthquake-sensors relaying information to six regional centres. The moment a tsunami threat is gauged, local officials are alerted to send out evacuation alarms on radio and TV. The strength of the Japanese network is also in its fast communication — all taking 2 minutes. The residents are then given 10 minutes to evacuate.

Satake is unwilling to reveal the amount of money it will take to set up such a system, but is here to sell his proposal to the Indian government. Japan, he said, was willing to help India set up its warning system.

Experts, however, are divided on whether India should have its own tsunami warning system. Dr Tad Murthy, president, Tsunami Society of Canada, said India and other Indian Ocean countries should work towards a warning system together. ‘‘The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System should include 36 countries working with Unesco,’’ said Murthy.