Czech-Mexican sensors could help developing countries minimise earthquake casualties

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It is precisely in Nepal where geophysicist Václav Kuna from the Institute of Geophysics at the Czech Academy of Sciences is now testing an early warning system that has the potential to save lives when the next major earthquake hits.

“It enables us to cut ahead of the seismic wave which travels at a speed of around 3-4km per second. This extra time can be used by people to get out of immediate danger. For example by running out of their house or hiding under the table.”

Václav Kuna|Photo: Institute of Geophysics at the Czech Academy of Sciences

The sensors, developed through a collaboration of Czech and Mexican scientists, are no bigger than a soap box and less precise than many other detection systems used around the world. But in Nepal this can actually be viewed as an advantage, he says.

“There already are earthquake warning systems in several parts of the world. For example, in Japan or in California. Usually they make use of high quality sensors, which are often bigger than ours.

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