Following the catastrophic events of 26 December 2004, when a tsunami incident generated by an underwater quake resulted in severe devastation and the significant loss of lives and property in nations bordering the Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean, the Thai cabinet unanimously approved a proposal for the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Ministry of Interior, to formulate a systematic evacuation plan for communities in the six coastal province along Thailand’s Andaman coast. The evacuation plan provides for the announcement of the plan and periodic drilling to be conducted.
PUBLIC SAFETY – THE FUNDAMENTALS
Top priority is being granted to public safety. Careful consideration has been given to the selection of appropriate locations for the installation of a public early warning system and the designation of meeting points and shortest evacuation routes from the beach area.
In a pilot project, an early warning system has been installed at three strategic points along Patong Beach.
Disaster Response Drills
The most recent tsunami evacuation drill conducted on Patong Beach in Phuket on 29 April 2005 was organised and coordinated by the Civil Defence Secretariat Office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
The early detection of a possible tsunami threat is only part of the solution. Local communities and populations need to be prepared so they can act appropriately to a warning. Residents and members of the local community are being educated and made aware of the potential dangers of natural disasters so they are well-prepared and know how to respond to warnings through a series of disaster response drills.
The latest evacuation drill was conducted on Patong Beach in Phuket on 29 April 2005.
The objectives were to:
- Assess the readiness of all agencies working in collaboration to implement existing evacuation plans in the event of a tsunami incident occurring
- Test the operability and efficiency of the evacuation plan in place
- Generate preparedness and enhance confidence among officials concerned and the general public and familiarise all parties with the systematic evacuation procedure
- Ensure the safety of lives and property of the public and tourists in high risk areas
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Designated evacuation routes to facilitate rapid evacuation
To facilitate evacuation and escape from danger zones to higher ground or the city centre, and vice-versa, the identification and selection of appropriate evacuation sites with clearly marked evacuation routes to facilitate rapid and convenient evacuation and escape within the shortest possible time has also been completed.
EVACUATION SITES |
EVACUATION ROUTES |
- Soi Sansabai
- Cristin Massage
- OTOP Centre
- Coconut Intersection
- Coral Beach Bridge
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- Bangla Road
- Soi Patong Tower
- Ruamjai Road
- Prachanuklo Road
- Coral Beach Bridge
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Furthermore the installation of Early Warning Systems in each of the six provinces of Southern Thailand, a project under the supervision of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), is ranked the highest priority. Efforts are being focused on high risk areas and key tourist destinations. There are also plans to install digital data recorders to pick up signals relayed by Early Warning Centres around Thailand established by the National Telecommunications Commission.
Early Warning System Information Network and Data Exchange
To facilitate timely data exchange and updates, the Early Warning System information network will also be linked into the information network of ten state agencies comprising the Meteorological Department, the Department of Mineral Resources, the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, the Pollution Control Department, the Naval Hydrographic Department, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Relief, the Department of Fisheries, the Royal Irrigation Department, the Department of Maritime Transport and Commerce and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).
Data on the intensity of seismic or wave activity will be received and transmitted via the Early Warning System established by the Thailand National Disaster Warning Centre. Centres will be staffed 24 hours by a team of experts tasked with monitoring and analysis of computer-generated reports. In the event that there is a high probability of a tsunami incident occurring, a warning for high risk areas around Thailand will be issued. Data will be relayed immediately via satellite.
Warning System
Sirens are an integral component of the Early Warning System planned. In the event of impending threats such as destructive waves or floodwaters, warnings in the form of sirens will be sounded. Such alerts would be further supported by visual indicators such as red alert emergency warning lights and audio-recordings in various international languages.
To attain the widest coverage within the shortest possible time, warnings for high risk areas will also be transmitted simultaneously via various other channels. These comprise a total of 10 television stations; 211 AM radio stations; 312 FM radio stations; 169,696 amateur radio stations and 1,000 local radio networks. Warnings will also be automatically sent via SMS to some 20 million cellular phone users.
State authorities have also been coordinating with international experts experienced in the prevention and management of natural disasters, such as floods and other natural catastrophes, to train state employees responsible for managing threats of this nature.
Production of International-Standard Early Warning System Manuals
Public education and awareness and preparedness are fundamental factors in the success of any disaster prevention and mitigation plan. Thailand’s Early Warning System plan includes the production and dissemination of international-standard Early Warning System Manuals, available in a number of languages. The manuals will detail designated evacuation routes which will vary according to the nature of the impending emergency. For example, the designated evacuation routes for floodwaters will be different from those for an earthquake.
With a well-defined disaster prevention and mitigation plan with clear action steps and precautionary measures in place, the Thai travel industry is hopeful visitor confidence will be restored and that travel to Thailand’s beach resorts along the Andaman Coast will resume in the next high season starting in November 2005.
Tsunami alert technology
Tsunami detection
The arsenal of wave and pressure sensors, seismographs, computers and orbiting satellites keep a watchful eye over the ocean, looking out for any changes.
Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System
A full tsunami early warning system is based on several key components including high-tech installation featuring quake and tidal sensors, speedy communications, alarm networks and disaster preparedness training in vulnerable regions, giving people time to flee to higher ground before the giant waves strike.
Source:
Tsunami alert technology
BBC News World Edition
Friday, 25 March 2005
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4373333.stm
- Deep water measuring devices installed on the ocean floor monitors sea pressure and activity and relays wave movements to surface buoys and then to a satellite every 15 minutes – an unusual result triggers readings every 15 seconds.
- The surface buoy monitors upper level conditions and relays this plus data from sea-bed monitors to a satellite
- The satellite receives data and relays it to ground stations.
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