The seismic alert system developed by the National Institute for Earth Physics (INFP) can transmit warnings approximately 25 seconds before the waves of an earthquake reach Bucharest, an interval that allows critical infrastructures to be stopped to reduce the effects on the population, the institute's general director, Constantin Ionescu, said on Wednesday.
"We have developed an alert system that can transmit warnings approximately 25 seconds before the seismic wave reaches Bucharest. During this interval, certain critical infrastructures that may affect the population, such as gas networks, can be blocked, or industrial processes in which several people work can be put on hold, so that the personnel can be protected. The system also allows the direction of intervention teams to the affected areas and the estimation of the number of buildings that could be damaged in a certain locality. We can estimate the number of buildings that have fallen in a certain locality. We have partners not only in Romania, but also in European and international projects and we can say that we are at the same level as European and world institutions in terms of the training of researchers and the level of knowledge", declared Constantin Ionescu, at the opening of the 5th edition of "ReExpozitia".
According to him, in general, in countries with high seismic activity, research institutes develop tools to reduce the effects of earthquakes, in conditions where they cannot be predicted hours or weeks in advance.
"In Romania, one of these tools is the alerting system that can transmit warnings approximately 25 seconds before seismic waves reach Bucharest. In Japan, the warning can be transmitted one to two seconds before, and in Mexico approximately 70 seconds. The system in Romania has been operational since 2013 and is used mainly to protect critical infrastructures, thus contributing to reducing the impact on the population in the event of a strong earthquake," Ionescu added.
The Director General of INFP explained that, currently, earthquakes cannot be predicted, but seismological research aims to reduce their effects.
"Everyone looks to us to predict earthquakes or to say when the next earthquake will come, something that cannot be achieved at the moment. Through the research activity we carry out at the Institute and by studying the propagation of seismic waves from the hypocenter to the earth's surface, we try to develop tools that reduce the effects of earthquakes on the population and buildings, so that the impact is as small as possible, for example by reducing the number of collapsed or damaged buildings and affected people. Everything we do at the institute, including the measurements made through the network of seismic stations, contributes to improving construction standards. The existing standards are solid, and if they are respected, constructions and industrial infrastructure should withstand," added Constantin Ionescu.
In his opinion, awareness is very important, including by familiarizing the population with smaller magnitude earthquakes, so that people know how to react and where to take shelter in the event of a stronger earthquake.
"In this regard, the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations has an important role, and the institute carries out information and education activities, especially for students, within the "School Differently" programs and other educational activities," the general director of INFP also said.
The "ReExpozitia" competition is one of the information campaigns that the Natural Disaster Insurance Pool carries out with the aim of strengthening individual responsibility regarding the financial protection of homes in the face of disasters. Through this project, the company brings to the public's attention, through photography, the impact of extreme natural phenomena on communities and contributes, through a cultural and educational approach, to the formation of a culture of preparedness.
The Natural Disaster Insurance Pool (PAID) organized on Wednesday, at Artmark, the opening of the 5th edition of "ReExpozitia", the photography competition dedicated to raising awareness of the impact of natural disasters on homes and communities in Romania.
The event, organized 49 years after the earthquake of March 4, 1977, brought together representatives of authorities, institutions involved in disaster risk management and the insurance industry, along with the winners of this year's competition.
Now in its fifth edition, "ReExpozitia" has brought together, to date, over 300 participants from across the country, the number of registrations increasing from one edition to the next.
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