NEW DELHI: An early warning system about tsunami and storms in the Indian Ocean will be functional in Hyderabad by September, said a senior Union Home Ministry official at a national conference on disaster management convened here to review monsoon preparedness.

Being set up at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services in Hyderabad, the system will generate and issue timely and reliable warnings. The Department of Ocean Development is the nodal agency to set up the tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean, said Secretary (Border Management) in the Union Home Ministry U.N. Panjiar.

Mr. Panjiar called upon the States to introduce systems to facilitate quick information management during natural calamities and to alert authorities concerned during disasters. The States should also set up their own search and rescue teams, which should be given specialised training and necessary equipment. These teams could cater for the needs of other States also during crisis.

Inaugurating the conference, Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta said there was a need to put in place Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to deal with various situations during disasters. It was essential to respond immediately and effectively to disaster situations and some simulation exercises should be undertaken to identify gaps in coordination and planning, he said.

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