Tsunami mock drill held in Thiruvananthapuram

A tsunami mock drill took place in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, organized by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and various agencies to evaluate the region's readiness for such a disaster. The District Disaster Management Authority and Karumkulam grama panchayat collaborated to execute the drill under the Tsunami Ready program, a UNESCO initiative that certifies coastal villages as prepared for tsunamis.

The drill commenced at 8:30 a.m. in Kilithattu and Puthiathura wards of Karumkulam panchayat, following an alert from the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services regarding a potential rise in water levels due to a 9.3 magnitude earthquake in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Emergency protocols were initiated through the District and Taluk Emergency Operation Centers, with the local coastal police, fire force, and fisheries departments warning residents about the situation.

The assembly point was St. Nicholas Beach Stage in Puthiathura ward, while St. Nicholas LP School in Kilitthat ward served as the designated shelter point. Emergency teams, comprising police, fire force officials, and community representatives, transported people from disaster-prone areas to the assembly point and then to the shelter.

Ambulances and police vehicles were deployed to facilitate the safe evacuation. First aid provisions and provisions for medical personnel were established at the shelter. Deputy Collector Atul S. Nath coordinated the exercise, which lasted approximately two hours and concluded at 10:30 a.m. Only two coastal villages in Odisha have attained the 'Tsunami Ready' status so far, highlighting the importance of this international recognition for Kerala.