ITU-D -FLASH • 2015 UGANDA: HARNESSING THE POWER OF ICTS TO PROMOTE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION The warning system comprises three main components:• A sensor that is placed in the river;• A solar-powered siren adjacent to the river and,• A solar powered Control Centre at the District headquarters with backup computers to monitor the performance of the sensors and siren system.Once the water levels reach a certain threshold on the sensor, the siren is automatically activated. The blaring sound can be heard over a 10 mile radius. Staff at the control center also use the siren system to broadcast messages in English and Lunyole, the local language, to guide residents to safely evacuate.\"Our partnership with the Government of Uganda reinforces ITU's commitment to increase the use of telecommunications and ICTs to enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation, and disaster management,\" said Mr Brahima Sanou.\"The commissioning of this project comes at the right time when the international community is taking stock of the implementation of the Hyogo Framework adopted in 2005 during the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), and preparing for the next WCDRR to be held in March 2015, in Sendai, Japan,\" he added.Hon. John Nasasira, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, thanked the International Telecommunication Union for its commitment and assistance to reduce the impact of natural disasters in the country. \"This early warning system is a welcome relief for the people of Butaleja District who have for years lost lives and property because there was no flood warning,\" he said. \"This is a step in the right direction as projects of this nature save many lives,\" Solar powered flood water siren