The early warning system will allow the people, especially those residing in coastal low lying areas, to take appropriate measures, he said.
Camacho is asking Patrick P. Tenorio, Office of CNMI Homeland Security director, and Joaquin Omar, CNMI Emergency Management Office director, to address “this serious breach in our homeland security.”
The neighboring islands in the Pacific have installed advance warning alert sirens, Camacho said.
The coastal villages of Saipan also need effective early warning system with highly visible and identifiable warning lights, he said.
The recent devastation and tragic event caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Samoa confirmed the exposure and vulnerability of the Northern Marianas to seismic disruptions in the surrounding Pacific tectonic areas, Camacho said.
He noted that on Saipan, schools and churches, including the Commonwealth Health Center and major hotels, are located near the coastline.
Based on research, he said, an 8.5 magnitude earthquake could potentially generate an onslaught of up to a 19 feet wave onshore within a 30-minute window.
Camacho urged Homeland Security and EMO to develop a system of mass notification through a text messaging alert system by cooperating with telecommunication companies on island.
School and early learning centers on Saipan should continue to conduct periodic tsunami and other disaster-related drills, he said.
It should be mandatory for parents of school children to be familiar with the drills and the appropriate steps to take in such an eventuality, he added.
