India's tsunami warning system, which will be operational in 2007, will be foolproof, unlike the Pacific Ocean warning system that triggers too many false alarms, seismologist Harsh K Gupta said on Wednesday.
The Pacific warnings are given soon after an earthquake occurs. Such a system can create problems for India because of our huge coastal population. The occurrence of an undersea earthquake is a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for a tsunami to be generated," Gupta told the 93rd Science Congress in Hyderabad.
Gupta, who earlier served as secretary in the Department of Ocean Development and as director of National Geophysical Research Institute, said some of the key elements of the Early Tsunami Warning System, including a couple of ocean bottom sensors will be in place by March.
On how the Indian mechanism will prevent false alarms, the scientist said, "We hope to gauge the vertical displacement of the water columns by installing ocean bottom pressure sensors. The project is being jointly implemented by the departments of space and ocean development."