Jiangsu makes first to introduce regional law on earthquake early warning

2021-09-30 15:06:00

File photo/CFP

The Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress, the top legislature in the province, held a press conference on September 29 to explain a new regulation on strengthening the management of earthquake early warning.

Jiangsu is the first province in China to introduce a regional regulation on the work, making detailed and clear requirements on issues including the information release process as well as the governance body.

In East China, Jiangsu has a relatively high level of moderate-to-large seismic hazards. Considering its high population density and advanced economic and social development, it’s necessary to regulate the earthquake early warning work in order to minimize the impact of the hazards.

The regional law specifies requirements over the development, maintenance and management of the earthquake early warning system. The alerts should also include when the destructive seismic waves will happen and the estimated earthquake intensity.

It requires government departments to establish and improve the earthquake response system, including the measures to take after receiving the warning. It also urges key venues and operators of important infrastructure to establish a system that can automatically receive and spread the warning information.

According to the regulation, schools should promote education of earthquake warning and emergency response among students, and the news media outlets should also increase the public awareness of such preventative efforts.