Tsunami evacuation exercise in six Andaman coastal provinces today

A tsunami evacuation drill is to be held at 2.30pm today, in Ranong, Phang-nga, Krabi, Trang, Satun and Phuket on the Andaman coast.

Pasakorn Boonyalak, director-general of the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said that the evacuation exercise is intended to test the readiness and efficiency of all existing contingency measures and systems to cope with a future tsunami.

He asked members of the public in the six provinces not to panic when tsunami warning sirens are sounded and said that only areas close to the sea will be affected, for instance:

• Ban Bang Ben and Ban Koei Bay in Kaper district of Ranong

• Nopparat Tara Beach in Nang Bay sub-district of Krabi

• Sai Thong Beach in Pa Liang district of Trang

• Tanyong Po sub-district in Muang district of Satun

• Kamala Beach in Kathu district of Phuket

• Ban Bang Ben, Ban Bang Sak Nua and Ban Bang Sak Tai in the Takua Pa district of Phang-nga

On December 26th, 2004, these provinces were hit by a devastating tsunami, killing, at least, 5,400 people. About 3,000 people are still unaccounted for.