Tuesday, March 29 2005 12:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: The UN has said that although no tsunamis have been reported from the powerful 8.7 earthquakes, which hammered Indonesia's west coast, the shocks are a wakeup call for the world to speed up an early-warning system for the region.

Threatened areas yesterday (Mar 28, 2005) received tidal wave warnings much faster than alerts during the December disaster, indicating that the systems worked far better this time, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland told reporters a few hours after the quake hit the Indonesian Island last night.

Death toll estimates in yesterday's quake varied widely from about 200 to 10 times that number. Though the tremor did not trigger tsunami, it was first time that the system was tested after the huge waves killed more than 2,00,000 people in December.

"My impression is that the system worked far better this time. Not only did we have surveillance and information sent out to the countries but we also had Governments reporting out to local authorities," he said.

The UN offices throughout the area hit by last year's tsunami were immediately put on alert and the Governments too acted fast in warning the people, he said.

Egeland said that though no tidal wave was reported this time, the shocks were a wakeup call for an effective warning system. "We hope that now the international community will really speed up work on the early-warning system for the tsunami."

"A little bit stronger earthquake this time (and) we could have another major tsunami in the middle of the night," he added.