The key facts

  • Sirens have been installed in 272 mosques in the Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Samarkand, Syrdarya, Tashkent and Ferghana regions
  • The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the United Nations Development Programme; the system will cover about 6.5 million people
  • Alerts will work even during disruptions to mobile communications and electricity supply

Sirens in mosques for emergency alerts

Special devices for early warning of the population about emergencies are being installed in mosques across Uzbekistan. The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Emergency Situations together with the United Nations Development Programme; the Ministry's press service told Daryo. According to the agency, the equipment is being placed in mosques located near populated areas: it allows emergency messages from the Ministry of Emergency Situations to be transmitted through external loudspeakers and promptly inform residents.

Regional coverage and selection logic

The devices have been installed in 272 mosques in seven regions prone to natural hazards: Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Samarkand, Syrdarya, Tashkent and Ferghana regions. The Ministry's press service explained that mosques were not chosen by chance: traditionally they are regarded as authoritative social institutions with great influence on the local population, and alerts through them will allow more people to be reached. In addition, according to a press service employee, great attention is paid to the seismic resistance of mosques during their construction.

What the new system offers

The new system will cover about 6.5 million people, including women, men, children and vulnerable groups. It will also make it possible to transmit emergency messages even during disruptions to mobile communications and electricity supply. The agency added that work on creating an emergency warning system continues in all regions of the country.

Why it matters

The event affects residents of seven regions prone to natural hazards: the warning system will cover about 6.5 million people, including vulnerable groups. Its practical significance is that emergency messages will reach the population even during disruptions to mobile communications and electricity supply — that is, in situations when conventional communication channels may be unavailable. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the work continues in all regions of the country, so the system's coverage may expand in the future.