Early Warning and Communication Systems for

Earthquakes and Tsunami in Kenya

• Authors

Edward Kisenge KiemaEmergency Manager and Coordinator for Radiological

Emergencies, National Disaster Operation Centre,

Nairobi, Kenya

Oliver Mandara

Disaster Inventory Officer, United Nations Strategy For Disaster

Reduction (UNSDR), Nairobi, Kenya

Experts meeting on protection against Extreme Earthquakes and Tsunamis in the

Light of accident at Fukishima Daichi, Nuclear Plant IAEA Hq Vienna, Austria

4-7.09.121

Background for DM

• Kenya experiences both rapid onset and slow

onset disasters.

• The National Disaster Operation Centre

(NDOC) is in the office of the President and a

Department in the Ministry of State, Provincial

Administration and Internal Security.

• NDOC monitors and coordinates responses to

all disasters in Kenya.

2

Early warnings and Communication

systemsObjectives of Early Warning is to be better prepared to face

challenges of the risk of long term or sudden disasters by:1. Avoiding and reducing damages and loss of property

2. Saving human lives, health , economic development and cultural heritage

3. Upgrading quality of life, public and international image

• Early warning systems and efficient communication reduced impact of the Tsunami in Kenya that hit East African coast in 2004

• The countries affected were: Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Maldives, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

• The GDP growth in Kenya was reduced to 2.6 % against the normal growth of 5.2 % for the following year.

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Early Warning systems

• Affected countries have pursued multisectoral

approach to install early warning and

detection systems for Tsunami in the Indian

Ocean.

• There are equipments to monitor weather

parameters(waves and earthquakes) in the

Indian ocean

• Initially most EWS were received from Japan

and Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre

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Components of a Tsunami Early Warning System

(1) Real-Time Seismology: Location and magnitude and timely

(2) Real-Time Sea-Level MonitoringGPS-Buoys with ocean-bottom pressure sensorGPS equipped Tide Gauges

(3) Tsunami Simulation

(4) Installation of National/Regional Data- and Early-Warning Centers

(5) Capacity Building

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Components of EWS conts

• KMD monitors the flow of information through

the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)’s

Global Telecommunication System (GTS), Email,

satellite phone and faxes strategically placed for

any messages from advisory centers like Japan

Meteorological Agency (JMA), Pacific Tsunami

Warning Center (PTWC) and Regional Tsunami

Service Providers (RTSP) – India (INCOIS),

Indonesia (InaTEWS-BMKG) and Australia

[JATWC]

Courtesy to GFZ potdam 6

SEISMIC stations in Kenya

• Vsat station capture (UON- Chiromo)

Radio nuclear data

Infrasound for nuclear bombs monitoring

Hydro acoustic seismic activity from the sea

Seisimic sensors

• Kibwezi

• Lodwar

• Kilimabongo- broadband seismometer run by

UON and the data is transmitted directly to

Vienna, Austria. 7

Earthquakes

More than 90% of all tsunamis result from

strong earthquakes.

A fast and accurate determination of the

earthquake parameters (location, magnitude,

source depth) is, therefore, essential for a

fast Tsunami Early Warning System.

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The General seismicity of the East and

Southern African

• Kenya is located within the seismically

active East African Rift System running

from the Afar(is one of the nine

regional states (kililoch) of Ethiopia)in

the North to Mozambique in the South.

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Current and Proposed Seismic Network for Kenya

Optimized seismic network incorporating the proposed 3 Stations (Baringo, Isebania and Maseno). NB. Blue Squares and Black triangle denote the Seismic stations Green line shows optimization limits( Kianji, K.G. 2012).

• Seismic active area cuts

right across the populated

sections

• Mombasa lies close to the

seismically active Davie

Fracture Zone (A

curvilinear feature

extending over 21° of

latitude can be recognized

in the western Indian

Ocean).

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Countries affected byTsunami

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Tectonic Plates and Subduction zones

Well known subduction zone Magnitude > 8.5 Sumatra - Andaman zone 12

KENYA NATIONAL DATA CENTRE

• Established in 2002

• Activities and objective of the National Data

Centre

– Strengthen a seismology and geophysics research

and training

– Carrying out systematic earthquake studies and

mitigation in this region of Eastern Africa which is

highly vulnerable to medium and strong earthquake

events (Richter scale magnitudes of 4.0 – 6.9)

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KENYA NATIONAL DATA CENTRE

cont…– Act as a nerve centre for regular earthquake

monitoring and reporting of seismic hazards

through scientific publications, mass media and

seismic bulletins

– Uses SeisComP3 software for EWS for Tsunami

– Monitor large events

– For nuclear bombs uses geo-tool software

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Challenges for EWS

• To establish an extensive Tsunami early

warning network in the Indian Ocean.

• The costs of procuring, operating, and

maintaining those instruments and platforms,

• Obtaining international cost sharing, are likely

to be the most critical factors for sustaining a

long-term international effort for global

tsunami detection and warning.

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FUTURE REQUIREMENTS

• Strengthen the National Data centre and Laboratory (with

Computers-e.g Server, Sun Systems)

• Install 10 Broadband Seismic Equipment, accompanying

Software and VSAT data communication

• Staff and student Exchange (one from each Country per year)

• Workshop attendance support (one local and abroad, per

year)

• Fieldwork (Installation, data collection & maintenance) 16

Kenya Meteorological Department

(KMD)

• Has 24 hr Operation Centre

• The focal point person also receive short text

messages Fax, and Email alerts on earthquakes

and Tsunami

• KMD has 4 Tidal gauges(compatible radio

communication System such as GSM/GPRS) in

the Indian Ocean; Lamu, Kilifi, Malindi and

Shimoni and 2 run by KMFRI and operated

within the Global Sea Level Observing System

(GLOSS) network. 17

COOMMUNICATION STRATEGY

• Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) was

designated the National Tsunami Early

Warning Centre in the year 2005

• Emergency Alert System is part of the national

network that enables the President of the

Republic of Kenya to address the Kenyan

people during periods of national emergency

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COMMUNICATION CONT...

• The Communications Commission Regulation Board

of Kenya allows the Emergency alert system to be

used by the state and local authorities in times of

local emergencies.

• The communication strategy employed for Tsunami

and earthquakes is incorporated in our National

Response Plan

• The communication strategy identifies the audience

in three categories that include:

• primary focusing on the general public, business

establishments in coastal line, marine transport

sector, Beach management units 19

AUDIENCES

• Secondary audience target the facilitators of

comm. processes includes government

agencies ministries that provide relief

services; Kenya Maritime Authority (has

operation Centre open for24 hrs serving as

regional centre for Seychelles, Tanzania,

Somalia and Yemen), NDOC, KEFRI, KPA, Prov.

Admin, police, Kenya Navy mosques (loud

speaker used), Engineers

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AUDIENCES

• Tertiary audience are international bodies and

other governments who would require sharing

of the information

• stakeholders

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Message development

• We develop messages that influence change

of behaviours among the members of public

toward the disasters.

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Testing effective communication

• Key stakeholders in communication, traders

and agencies and members of public to

participate in regular exercises to test the

plan. From the exercise, we continuously

rectify and correct the content of the

communication and the national response

plan.

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Channels of Communications

• In the plan we have identified both electronic and print media, radio communications and Internet

• For Tsunami and earthquake emergencies, the safety and reduced number of casualties depend mainly on reliable early warning system and effective communication.

• UON issue monthly bulletins, - to other depts., urban designs, Agr, Teachers- sensitization on earthquakes, students, research, conferences, articles in press

• Through media- info. Regarding magnitude and Locs

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Channels of comm. Cont…

• Regulatory frameworks- NEMA requires

seismic assessment report before approval,

for dams, major building and highways.

• MOU between supporting agencies on sharing

of data open/closed info sharing systems

• Regional regms IGAD, EAC on sharing of info

through East and Southern Africa

Seismological Working Group( ESARSWG)

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Conclusions

• Early Warning Systems (EWS) are necessary for minimizing risks of global and local hazards.

• Building inventories, identifying and monitoring indicators and assessing environmental conditions are prerequisites for vulnerability assessments

• Satellite systems provide important information source for EWS. The technology is improving on daily basis. However, ground monitoring may prove effective in some cases. Research is required

• Responsibilities of establishing EWS is shared among NGO, governments, communities and individuals

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Acknowledgements

• Gladys and Bruce Mutengi –Geology

Department,University of Nairobi

• Samuel Macharia –Kenya Meteorological

Department

• Nelson Munyi National Disaster Operation

Centre

• IAEA

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THE END

Thank you for your

attention

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