Japan Testing Worlds First Tsunami Auto-Alert System Using Drones

Japan has started testing the world's only automatic tsunami warning system by drone in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, which was hit the hardest by the 2011 tsunami, Japanese media reported on Monday.
If the nationwide tsunami alert system is triggered, the drone will rise from its station and circle the coastal strip, urging people to evacuate, the NHK broadcaster reported. The new technology is expected to quickly warn fishermen or beachgoers, who may otherwise be unable to hear alerts from city loudspeakers.

In addition, the use of drones will protect city hall employees who had to risk their lives when trying to personally inform people on the coast of a tsunami, as happened in 2011, the broadcaster reported.

In March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit Japan and triggered a massive tsunami that resulted in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. The disaster left about 22,200 people dead or missing and about 400,000 houses completely destroyed.

The Japanese government allocated 31.3 trillion Yen ($215.8 billion) in the 10 years after the earthquake to rebuild the three prefectures hit hardest by the disaster. In 2021, the authorities also adopted a plan worth 1.6 trillion yen for the second recovery period until 2025.