The area was hit during the 2004 Asian Tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands of people around the Bay of Bengal.
Yesterday’s drill involved some 350 people.
Viset Sabaijit, Deputy District Officer of Wichit said, “This drill will be very useful in case a tsunami ever happens again. People will understand the emergency procedure and will be able to escape to safety.
“Sixteen organizations including the Raumjai Rescue Foundation, Sri Panwa Resort, Wichit Songkhram School and others are involved because people in three villagers are vulnerable to a tsunami. They have to be ready to act if there is another big wave.”
The scenario for the drill began with news arriving of an 8.8-Richter earthquake offshore, with the possibility of a tsunami. Volunteer equipped with radios received the alert and ran through the villages broadcasting the emergency evacuation alert in five languages. The drill supposed that the alert also went out via a variety of other media.
During the practice, two people were “injured” while fleeing and were given first aid and carried to safety. In just 15 minutes all those involved in the drill had escaped from the tsunami danger zone.
Finally, the “news” came through that the “tsunami” generated by the “earthquake” was only 20 cm high, causing to threat to life or property, and the all-clear was sounded.