Proposal presented at U.N. disaster reduction meet

KOBE -- A UNESCO-backed proposal that calls for the introduction of a $13 million tsunami early warning system for the Indian Ocean within one year was presented Wednesday at the U.N.'s World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe.

As part of the proposal, which is to be submitted at a high-level meeting Thursday on the recent Indian Ocean tsunamis, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's International Oceanic Commission will present a final plan of action by July at the earliest.

If adopted, the technology to detect earthquakes and tsunamis could be in place within a year, although the completion of a comprehensive early warning communications system for countries would take longer, UNESCO officials said.