Now the population of Uzbekistan is being alerted about emergencies through mosques.
To date, special equipment has been installed in 272 mosques across seven regions to raise public awareness about emergency situations.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) of Uzbekistan, has introduced an innovative technical solution that enables the rapid alerting of the population of Uzbekistan during natural disasters and emergencies.
As part of the project, special equipment has been installed in mosques located near populated areas. Emergency messages from the MES will now be broadcast through the mosques' external loudspeakers, ensuring information is quickly disseminated to the wider public.
It is reported that to date, this equipment has been installed in 272 mosques across the Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Samarkand, Syrdarya, Tashkent, and Fergana regions.
Mosques are noteworthy as respected social institutions among the local population and are located in almost all settlements. The high-power external loudspeakers on the buildings provide an audible alert radius ranging from 500 meters to 2 kilometers.
According to project estimates, this will cover approximately 6.5 million people, including women, men, children, and vulnerable groups.
This system also allows for the transmission of urgent messages even during disruptions in mobile communications or power supply.
Furthermore, with financial support from UNDP and the Green Climate Fund, 28 large-format outdoor screens have also been installed along major highways and in crowded areas across the country for public alerting purposes.
The joint project of UNDP, MES, and Uzhydromet, titled "Improving the Integrated Early Warning System Aimed at Enhancing the Resilience of the Population of Uzbekistan to Climate Change-Induced Risks," is financed by the Green Climate Fund.
The project is specifically aimed at modernizing and improving the early warning system for populations in mountainous areas with high risks of natural disasters such as floods, mudflows, landslides, avalanches, and hydrological droughts.
