— Barbuda MP Trevor Walker has called for the repair of a wave-monitoring station on the island, saying he understands it is no longer functioning.

Speaking Wednesday at a ceremony recognizing Barbuda as a Tsunami Ready community, Walker said the station was installed near the River area around 2010. He urged officials to determine whether it could be restored so the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service could monitor wave heights remotely.

“If it’s possible for you to see whether or not we can get that up and going and repaired,” Walker said, addressing Junior Minister Kiz Johnson. He said the station could add to the island’s preparedness efforts.

Walker welcomed Barbuda’s Tsunami Ready designation, saying the work had helped residents understand the danger posed by tsunamis and where they could evacuate. He recalled being told as a child that people would have to go to the Highlands, but said the project had identified other safe areas.

The designation follows work on evacuation maps, signs, public education and a community exercise. Program representative Christa von Hillebrandt said tsunami modeling identified Sir McChesney George Secondary School as being outside the mapped hazard zone.

Walker urged authorities and residents to keep building awareness after the ceremony. His comments did not establish when the monitoring station stopped working or what repairs it would require.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Walker Calls for Repair of Barbuda Wave-Monitoring Station.