In Indonesia, scientists are testing a novel approach to earthquake early warning by using mosque loudspeakers as alarm systems to reach remote communities. The five-year pilot project, which began recently, aims to leverage the extensive network of mosque speakers traditionally used to broadcast the call to prayer, integrating them with seismic sensors to provide timely earthquake alerts.
The initiative is led by Dr. Inoue Hiroshi, a disaster scientist from Kyoto University’s Disaster Prevention Research Institute. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience studying destructive earthquakes in Indonesia, including the 2009 Sumatra quake that caused over 1,000 fatalities, Dr. Inoue envisions mosque speakers as a vital tool for disseminating warnings before shaking reaches vulnerable populations. “Every community has a mosque,” he said. “If people received the warning before the shaking came, many lives could be saved.”
Indonesia’s geography poses significant challenges for disaster warning systems due to its vast and often difficult-to-access areas. However, the country benefits from an established and regularly maintained network of loudspeakers in mosques, which number in the hundreds of thousands. This existing infrastructure offers a potential advantage over other countries where such systems are less prevalent or maintained.
Maintaining disaster communication infrastructure can be difficult, but the mosque loudspeakers are routinely serviced by local communities, ensuring reliability. The system also addresses limitations of mobile phone-based alerts, which can fail during earthquakes due to communication disruptions.
Andi Eka Sakya, senior researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency and the lead Indonesian collaborator on the project, noted that while Indonesia has operated a tsunami early warning system since 2008, earthquake warnings present unique challenges. Earthquake waves travel rapidly through the ground, often allowing only five to ten seconds for people located about 30 miles from the epicenter to react. The current project remains in the prototype phase and has not yet issued public warnings.
Beyond mosques, the project plans to explore integrating alarm systems within school loudspeakers and through radio and television broadcasts. The effort is scheduled to continue through 2030 as researchers evaluate its effectiveness and scalability.
Other Muslim-majority countries have considered or initiated similar uses of mosque loudspeakers for emergency alerts. In the United Arab Emirates, mosque speakers are incorporated into broader alarm networks related to the Barakah nuclear power plant in case of radiation leaks. Uzbekistan launched a pilot program this year installing alarms in 272 mosques to warn against floods, landslides, and other natural disasters. The United Nations Development Programme, involved in the Uzbek initiative, highlights mosques’ traditional role as respected social institutions capable of mobilizing local communities effectively.
Indonesia’s mosque-based earthquake alert project represents an innovative effort to combine cultural and technological assets in improving disaster preparedness in one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions.