The Disaster Management Center (DMC) has taken steps to introduce a ringtone for mobile phones to inform the public in case of a tsunami threat.
Since 99.9 percent of Sri Lankans have mobile phones, DMC Director General Major General (retired) Sudantha Ranasinghe said tsunami warnings will be informed through a ringtone.
He said that the DMC is working together with mobile service providers in this regard.
Since the majority of people are sleeping between 1 and 4 am, he said a system will be set up to ring all mobile phones if a tsunami warning is received.
Mr. Athula Senaratne, the former Head of the Department of Geology of Peradeniya University, said recently that if the tsunami warning signal towers established in the coastal areas are not properly working, a dangerous situation may arise in the future.
Meanwhile, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau Director General (Acting) M. M. J. P. Ajith Prema said that there have been 48 tremors in Sri Lanka since 2020.
Speaking at a news conference held at the Government Information Department yesterday (26), the Acting Director General said that 16 tremors were reported in 2020, 18 in 2021, five in 2022, and nine earthquakes in 2023.
He said that many of these tremors are minor and that the causes affecting the periodic occurrence of tremors will be looked into.
This year, there were two tremors in the Buttala area on February 10. Tremors were also reported in Wellawaya on February 11th, Buttala and Wellawaya area on February 22nd, Kirinda area on March 18th, Gomarankadawala area on March 19th, and Sella Katharagama on March 24, Beruwala sea area on March 30th, Monaragala area on April 12th, and Hambantota area on April 24th.