System for natural disaster alerts launched for coastal Andhra

Amaravati, Feb 26 (IANS) An Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS) to send alerts about natural disasters to coastal Andhra Pradesh was launched here on Wednesday.

Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharitha inaugurated the system in the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

The EWDS has been enabled in 76 'mandals' or blocks, 16 fish landing centres and eight tourism destinations in all nine coastal districts of the state.

She said that Andhra Pradesh is the second state in the country to be equipped with an advanced mechanism of the early warning system.

She said that during natural calamities like floods, cyclones and lightning strikes, the early warning system will help in shifting people to safer places and minimising loss of human lives.

"Using technology during hard times is always recommended and also benefits in the progress of the state economy," she said.