Oaxaca reports repair progress in earthquake early warning system

The Civil Protection Service in Oaxaca has reported an 80% progress in the repair of the earthquake early warning system towers damaged last week.

The chief of the Analysis and Threats Department of this agency, Miguel Morales, expects to have the full system restored in the next 48 hours.

Repair works began last Friday, after strong winds caused by cold front 25 knocked down two towers in two communities of the region of the Juárez mountain range, in Oaxaca.

Last week, the Mexican Earthquake Early Warning System (SASMEX) stated it would take 15 days to fully repair the first of the two collapsed towers. However, local authorities report one of the towers has been reinstalled while operations in the second tower will be temporarily transferred to another communications tower while reparations are in progress.

According to the SASMEX, since January 30 there's been no communication with 10 sensors in the coast and southern mountain range of Oaxaca . In addition, they informed that last year they identified four malfunctioning sensors in the Tehuantepec Isthmus region.

The Mayor of Mexico City, Miguel Ángel Mancera, said that given the current status of the early warning system, in case of an earthquake with an epicenter in Oaxaca, the warning alert in Mexico City would still ring but with less than 50 seconds of warning.

“Details of the damaged to the communication towers in #Cuajimoloyas due to cold front No. 25 on January 30, 2018”

“Staff from @CEPCO_GobOax report another #SASMEX tower damaged in Humo Chico.”

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