New Zealand's submarine cable upgraded for tsunami detection

A new collaboration between New Zealand and the UK is enhancing tsunami monitoring using laser technology along the Southern Cross Next submarine cable. This 4,000 km cable now serves as an earthquake sensor. The system has already detected a 7.2 magnitude quake near Vanuatu in December. It features about 70 additional sensors on the seafloor across the Southwest Pacific. This upgrade aims to improve tsunami detection for New Zealand's vulnerable coastlines, which face various tsunami threats. The initiative builds on existing monitoring efforts that began in 2019 with buoy-mounted stations.