Phuket Tsunami Warning Buoys Arrive

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Phuket tsunami warning buoys arrive

Seafdec crewmen inspect the tsuanmi warning buoys at Cape Panwa this morning.

Photo: Janpen Upatising

PHUKET: The ship bringing the two tsunami direct-detection buoys to be installed off Phuket has arrived at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) at Cape Panwa.

The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (Seafdec) ship docked with the “tsunameters” on board at the PMBC pier last night after setting sail from Samut Prakarn on Monday.

The ship will depart about 1 am tonight to begin their operation installing the buoys.

Technicians from EnvirTech, the Italian company that built the buoys, will be on board to assist in the installation.

Of the two buoys, one fitted with a solar panel will be installed about 248 kilometers west of Phuket.

“It will take 12 hours for the ship to reach the first installation location,” said Capt Sonchai Bumrasarinpai.

“We will need to survey the area for installation again once we reach there [to determine the exact location where the buoy will be installed],” he added.

The ship will then head north to install the second buoy about 240 kilometers west of the Surin Islands.

The operation is expected to be completed by December 18, Capt Sonchai said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-12-12