A national emergency broadcast center opened in China on December 3, as the country looks to speed up the construction of a nationwide radio network for transmitting rescue and relief information in disaster-hit regions.
Under China National Radio (CNR), the China National Emergency Broadcasting Center is responsible for setting up an emergency broadcast system and building a radio network that links central authorities to community-level offices.
The plan, which marks an important step toward better coping with disasters, was inspired by a similar but smaller-scale radio network set up after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Lushan, in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on April 20.
The radio service, initiated by CNR in conjunction with local radio and TV stations, will broadcast government relief measures and secondary warnings to disaster-stricken areas via loudspeakers, AM radio frequencies and satellite facilities. |