Indonesia Conducts Drill to Counter Tsunami Risk

Jakarta, 06 Dzulhijjah 1437/08 September 2016 (MINA) – The Indonesian government on Wednesday carried out an exercise for the communities living along coastal areas to anticipate the impacts of tsunami, disaster agency said here.

The drill was held in several areas vulnerable to the danger, including Padang, the provincial capital of West Sumatra, Pangandaran district of West Java, Pacitan district of East Java, and others places, a statement from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) disclosed.

The exercise trained the communities to better respond to early warning for tsunami and take part in the process of evacuation, and tested the readiness of the country’s tsunami early warning system.

The drill, in cooperation with the UNESCO, was attended by representatives from 28 countries, partly situated along the Indian Ocean.

In Padang city, the exercise involved elementary students, local residents and officials, Rudi Rinaldi, senior official of local disaster the Xinhua quoted the BNPB as saying in the statement.

“This activity significantly expands our knowledge in disaster mitigation. Hopefully this activity can be continuously undertaken in schools,” Rini, one of the elementary students participating in the drill said.

More than 200,000 people were killed in the countries along the Indian Ocean when tsunami hit the nations in December 2014. Indonesia’s Aceh province in northern tip of Sumatra Island is among the worst-hit areas with 170,000 death tolls and massive damages.

Indonesia is laid on a vulnerable quake-hit zone called “the Pacific Ring of Fire,” making it vulnerable to quakes. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)