The Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino, inaugurated the Portuguese centre for the Tsunami Warning System (Tsunamis), integrating Portugal into the alert network, affirming that it represents an increase of safety for the population.

“It is an investment of only one million euros”, said the minister, adding that “I say ‘only’ because sometimes there is talk of investments of many millions of euros that, perhaps, do not have added value for our security as this million.”

“This million so simply allows Portugal to integrate the international tsunami early warning network,” he said at the inauguration of the centre located at the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

The Minister said that the Portuguese population will also be more informed about any events of this type that may be detected, but that the equipment serves above all to improve coordination and anticipation with the National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC).

“The tsunami early warning centre is part of this effort” of coordination between the IPMA and the ANPC, he said.

“Portugal must be at the centre of the best of global scientific networks,” as “tsunamis are not a distant reality,” said Interior Minister Eduardo Cabrita, who also participated in the ceremony.

The Minister recalled that “the 1755 earthquake was associated with one of the largest tsunamis in existence.”

This ‘early warning system was launched – with the participation of UNESCO – following the 2004 tsunami that affected Indonesia and other parts of Asia’.