THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch the Kerala Warnings Crisis and Hazard Management System (KaWaCHaM), developed by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, on Tuesday.
The system aims to provide timely alerts about extreme weather events, such as heavy rain, strong winds, and sea surge.
The system comprises 126 sirens equipped with strobe lights, 93 emergency operation centres, and VPN-connected data centres to ensure effective communication of warnings to the public.
Each siren features three lights – red, yellow, and orange – and is fitted with eight loudspeakers that can broadcast alerts up to a distance of 1.2 km. The sirens will also provide crucial information about emergency shelters and safety precautions. They are installed on top of government buildings and schools in disaster-prone areas, at heights ranging from 13 to 15m, and are connected by a 5-m-long wires.
The State Emergency Operations Centre will oversee the coordination of KaWaCHaM across the state.
The sirens will be tested at various locations from 5pm following the launch on Tuesday. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has urged the public not to panic during the trial phase.