Indonesia Tests Mosque Loudspeakers as Earthquake Early-Warning System

Indonesia Tests Mosque Loudspeakers as Earthquake Early-Warning System
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Indonesia is testing whether mosque loudspeakers can serve as earthquake early-warning alarms, helping alert remote communities where mobile communications may fail during disasters. The five-year joint research project with Japanese scientists is scheduled to run until 2030.

Led by Kyoto University disaster scientist Inoue Hiroshi and Indonesian researchers, the pilot has connected several mosques to a seismic sensor network. The system aims to use existing, regularly maintained loudspeakers to deliver warnings seconds before earthquake shaking reaches nearby communities.

Researchers say the initiative remains at the prototype stage and is not yet issuing public alerts. The project is also studying school loudspeakers, radio and television broadcasts, alongside locally appropriate safety guidance. Indonesia and Japan both lie on the Pacific Ring of Fire and face frequent earthquake risks.