Oct 26 2010
To furnish prior warning of the disastrous tsunami, a network series of sea level inspecting equipments have been integrated in New Zealand. Various pressure sensing gauges were fixed at nearly 17 sites in and around New Zealand to monitor any sort of deviation in the sea level and the information thus obtained will be live telecasted to the GeoNet information management unit at GNS Science.
GNS Science will process the information and will provide its recommendations to the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM) in this aspect with reference to the level of danger likely to be hit by tsunami.
The Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) that guides this tsunami network project is a significant element of a vast tsunami detection system in New Zealand and over the Pacific.
The entire integration process required five years to fulfill its finalization and the major issue was with the vigorous sea conditions that complicated the sea level gauge installation and the time-consuming processes involved in gaining consent and approvals. The agencies that collaborated for the advancement of sensor grids include GNS Science, MoRST, Waikato University, MCDEM, NIWA, URS Consultancy Company and Australian agencies.
According to Graeme Blick, an eminent geodesist, the development of this tsunami sensor network project was accomplished within the specific time and within the budget allotted for the scheme, due to the collaborative effort of the teams in successfully executing this work.
Source: http://www.gns.cri.nz