Jan 30, Colombo: Introducing a new network to inform the public about disasters, Sri Lanka launched its first mass alert emergency warning system- Disaster and Emergency Warning Network (DEWN) today at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall premises.

Through the new alert system the Disaster Management Centre will inform the relevant district Disaster Management Centers on impending disasters.

According to the DMC the new network system is to be set up in populated areas and the system will release a signal indicating a disaster.

Meanwhile the DMC is planning to launch a Short Message System (SMS) to inform the public on the disasters in the near future.

DEWN was developed by telecom giant Dialog Telekom in collaboration with the Mobile Communications and Micro Image Research Laboratory at the University of Moratuwa.