Tsunami Warning App Lands On Phuket Shores

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Tsunami warning app lands on Phuket shores

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) launched a mobile phone application this month that allows iPhone and Android phone users to receive instant notifications of any tsunami alerts and warnings issued by the center.

The “app” was launched on the online Apple App Store for iPhones and iPads on December 11, with an Android version launched on the Android Market on December 14, NDWC public relations officer Prasert Kunneang told the Phuket Gazette yesterday.

“This application is fully operational, but we are continually updating the code, so users need to maintain updates when they become available,” Mr Prasert said.

Once people have downloaded and installed the app, they will receive up-to-date notifications of natural disasters and phenomena around the world.

“After registering as users [via the ‘login’ in the app], people can specifically set which phenomena they want to receive notifications of, including earthquakes in the region and storms, as well as tsunami alerts and tsunami warnings issued by the NDWC,” Mr Prasert said.

“Users can also report natural disasters to us in real time by using the ‘Push to Talk’ function and selecting ‘Voice over IP [VOIP],” Mr Prasert explained.

“The application will help us to quickly broadcast news about natural disasters from the NDWC to users and help facilitate coordination between the NDWC and relevant disaster-response organizations,” he added.

Although the app is currently available in the Thai language only, Mr Prasert said that an English version is expected to be launched next month.

Installing the app is free.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ores-19735.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-12-18

[yougivemebaby]

Hope all the massage therapists make their boyfriends in phuket buy them an Iphone 5 just so they can get this app!

[hudriwudri]

would be gr8 if someone could type the name of the App, instead of only calling it "app" LOL 55555

[Rumblecat]

It's called NDWC.

[Shot]

Indian Ocean Tsunami Alerter (IOTA) is in English, and does not require a login. It's available now, and it's free.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Shot

[LivinginKata]

It's called NDWC.

Just tried the Android download. failed to load

[Shot]

It's called NDWC.

Just tried the Android download. failed to load

Not sure I would trust it, even with a successfull download . Hopefully never need it.

[Guest]

I get notifications of large earth quakes by email. https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens/ Notifications of Quakes stronger than 6 comes to my phone in few minutes. Then it's time to evaluate if there is a reason to react or not.

Of course this does not wake me up in the night, but otherwise works well.

After the 2004 tsunami, many countries planned to make an emergency SMS service for their own people, but I guess none of these really materialized.

[who]

Would have been nice if the article had bothered to tell us how the thing worked. e.g. does it ring and leave a message etc etc.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Tywais
Set font to standard

[Arandora]

According to this link http://www.futuregov.asia/articles/2012/dec/11/thailand-launch-disaster-warning-app/ "The launch of the disaster warning app is expected to be on December 26, in memory of the 8th anniversary of devastating Tsunami that killed over 230,000 people in fourteen countries around Indian Ocean including Thailand."

I would have hoped the app would be launched as soon as avaialable not wait for a particular day, no matter how special. Tsunamis don't wait for special days!!

[Guest]

I would have hoped the app would be launched as soon as avaialable not wait for a particular day, no matter how special. Tsunamis don't wait for special days!!

We'll probably wait few hundred or thousands of years before similar magnitude earth quake and tsunami will hit to this area.

When the app is released on 26.12. it will get more public awareness and therefore more potential users.