The Indian Ocean tsunami warning system detects potential tsunamis through a network of seismographic and ocean stations across the region. When an earthquake occurs, data is transmitted to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii and the Japan Meteorological Agency. These centers then analyze the data to determine if a tsunami was generated and predict arrival times. They share this information with countries in the region. National warning agencies also receive local data and use methods like radio, TV, SMS, and outdoor sirens to disseminate warnings to communities.