Hawaii County Civil Defense has replaced an emergency warning siren at Haka­lau in North Hilo that was damaged and made inoperable in a 2011 traffic accident.

The siren is on Highway 19 just north of mile marker 15 near Chin Chuck Road.

The new Haka­lau siren is louder and more reliable because of features such as electronic activation, and photovoltaic panels and batteries to maintain constant power.

The new siren is mounted on a pole made of composite materials, not wood, making it more resistant to the elements and termites.