China has donated modern seismic equipment to Cuba to help the nation upgrade its earthquake warning system, the Cuban government said Monday.

Vladimir Moreno, director of the National Earthquake Research Center (CENAIS), said the donation includes highly sensitive seismometers, accelerometers, radio facilities for voice communications and mobile stations for earthquake engineering studies.

Moreno said he was expecting the arrival of Chinese specialists to install the equipment.

Renewal of the screening and monitoring services could ensure real-time transmitting of alert signals through an interconnected system of seismic stations, Moreno said.

Cuba would "have modern technology which could provide faster and better information before the occurrence of earthquakes," Moreno said.

CENAIS, the governing body of Cuba's seismological research, is responsible for monitoring seismic activities across the island.

Cuba is located in a region that has several fault systems that produce about 2,000 mostly minor seismic events a year. A 5.6 magnitude earthquake occurred near Guantanamo, Cuba, on March 20 but caused no reported casualties or significant damage.

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2010)