Dili, October 9, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Secretary of State for Civil Protection (SEPC), in collaboration with the Timor-Leste Geoscience Institute – Public Institute (IGTL-IP), organized an event to sign a memorandum of understanding and officially launch the Earthquake Monitoring Website and Mobile Application. The initiative aims to “Strengthen Resilience through Geological Science and Launch the Seismic Alert Application and Strategic Partnership Agreement.”
The Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Domingos Mariano Reis, stated that this launch marks a step forward in early warning systems, allowing citizens with mobile access to receive alerts within three minutes of an earthquake occurring, including information about the magnitude and affected radius. He emphasized that this represents significant progress for both Civil Protection and IGTL.
“This commitment ensures that all data on damage, especially regarding those who have lost property or are affected, can be properly collected and used to improve emergency response and recovery for disaster-affected families. It will also help promote cost savings in the state budget and guarantee the sustainability of national development, ensuring a better life for all citizens,” said Secretary of State Domingos Mariano Reis.
The Secretary of State further explained that the Civil Protection Authority (APC) has the mission to serve and protect the people of Timor-Leste from disasters and catastrophes. Therefore, the official launch of the Earthquake Monitoring Website and Mobile Application represents an important step in the IX Constitutional Government’s commitment through SEPC in order to ensure that all citizens are safe and resilient in the face of disasters.
Meanwhile, the President of the IGTL Board of Directors, Job Brites dos Santos, explained that the purpose of signing the memorandum of understanding with the Civil Protection Authority (APC) is to formalize cooperation between the two institutions. As the national agency responsible for monitoring seismic activity, IGTL operates stations that detect and record earthquakes. When an event occurs, the data is transmitted immediately to the main station for analysis. If there is a potential tsunami threat, the IGTL team will promptly forward the information to the APC so it can be disseminated back to communities to ensure safety in affected areas.
“The support and contribution from IGTL will help provide timely information to communities so that everyone can be aware of the risks. Through this application, people can monitor earthquakes directly from their Android phones. We understand that not everyone has access to smartphones, so we have established cooperation with the three major operators such as, Telemor, Telkomsel, and Timor Telecom. When a major earthquake occurs with potential for a tsunami, we will send information via SMS,” said IGTL President Job Brites dos Santos.
He added that the launch of this website was made possible through cooperation with Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), following the signing of an agreement on 16 October 2024 and an Implementation Accord on 15 July 2025.
“We already have plans for the next phase, which will involve community outreach and education activities so that people can be more alert to disaster risks. Following this agreement with APC, we will also involve the Directorate of Meteorology and Physical Sciences,” the IGTL President continued.
He affirmed that the signed agreement will enable joint work to maximize and transmit disaster-related information to the community and raise public awareness about geological risks in the country.
In conclusion, the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, together with the Timor-Leste Geoscience Institute (IGTL-IP), reaffirmed their shared goal of “Strengthening Resilience through Geological Science, the Launch of the Seismic Alert Application, and the Signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement.”
Reporter: Nelfiano
Photo: Media APC