Xinhua, the official media of Singapore, reported on its front page that Singapore will gradually adopt a communication and broadcasting system starting next year. In the event of a disaster, the public affected can receive alerts instantly on their mobile phones and get clear guidance on how to respond.

To issue disaster warnings faster and more accurately, Singapore's Civil Defence Force is collaborating with telecommunications companies to implement a regional broadcast system starting next year, sending mobile alerts to the public in affected areas during emergencies.

Singapore's Minister for Law and Home Affairs, Tang Zhenshui, announced this new measure during his speech at the 10th ASEAN Strategic Policy Workshop on Disaster Management on Wednesday (August 20).

Currently, when emergencies such as fires or natural disasters occur, authorities send one-way SMS messages to the public in specific areas with "MHAalert" as the sender name.

In his speech, Tang Zhenshui said that technology and innovation have played an important role in disaster management, particularly communication technology. "How do we convey information to remote areas and large populations? Timely public communication is especially critical in emergencies," he said.

The new communication broadcasting system (Cell Broadcast System) to be launched next year is expected to be similar to emergency mobile phone alerts issued by countries like New Zealand and Japan during earthquakes, which do not rely on SMS systems but instead use dedicated signals from cell towers to pop up alerts directly on the phones of affected people.

Technological innovation also plays an important role in disaster relief. Tang Zhenshui cited an example where the Singapore rescue team deployed "mechanical cockroaches" during the earthquake in Myanmar this year to assist rescuers in searching for survivors in the depths of the ruins.

Artificial intelligence technology can also enhance the speed and accuracy of disaster warning systems. For instance, the Philippines has deployed an artificial intelligence weather forecasting system that predicts with community-level precision, giving residents more time to prepare.

"Innovation gives us the opportunity to experiment, explore, and enhance our capabilities. Artificial intelligence enhancing predictive capabilities, combined with various innovative applications, will be key to future disaster management," he said.

Tang Zhenshui also said, "Natural disasters are always a risk faced by ASEAN, and climate change is making the scale, impact, and frequency of disasters increasingly severe. Just last month, the tropical cyclone Wipha made landfall in Laos and the Philippines, causing damage to infrastructure and farmland, displacing many communities and destroying livelihoods."

However, he also pointed out that ASEAN has gradually expanded its capacity to manage disasters. For example, the number of members in the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) has increased from 322 in 2021 to 457 this year.

"But we understand that a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient to address ASEAN's diverse situation. Therefore, the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team has been adjusted according to the circumstances of each country, adapting to local conditions," he said.

The workshop, organized by the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center, attracted about 230 senior government officials, scholars, non-governmental organization representatives, and private sector representatives.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841068445383680/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.