The Department of Revenue and Disaster Management conducted a mock rescue drill on Friday to train the staff of various departments in emergency support function and to create awareness among the public on disaster management.
Staff members from various government departments including the police, fire service, revenue, social welfare, electricity and PWD participated in the drill.
The annual mock drill was held in the coastal villages of Vambakeerapalayam and Solai Nagar to test the readiness of the district administration against an emergency and to gauge its ability to take remedial steps, said a government official.
A tsunami warning was issued from the Emergency Operation Centre and all the departments swung into action immediately. The people living in the villages were alerted though a public announcement system.
The officials advised the residents to move at least 500 metres away from the shoreline and take refuge in a safer area. The scenarios in the mock drill included announcement, voluntary and forceful evacuation, clearing of tree branches using earthmovers, and rescue of people trapped in houses and fishermen stranded in the sea.
