Iowave14: Pakistan to take part in tsunami exercise
Government officials will simulate decision-making and alerting procedures to the last step before public notification
KARACHI:
Pakistan will join 20 other countries from around the Indian Ocean Rim in mock tsunami scenarios on Wednesday, said Touseef Alam, the chief meteorologist at the meteorological department’s National Tsunami Warning Centre. The purpose of the exercise, titled ‘Indian Ocean Wave 2014’ (IOwave14), is to increase preparedness, evaluate each country’s response capabilities and improve regional coordination, he said. “The 2004 tsunami highlighted the need to be better prepared,” Alam said. “We will test procedures of the Indian Ocean tsunami warning and mitigation system and help identify the participants’ operational strengths and weaknesses.” IOwave14 will simulate tsunami warning situations requiring governmental decision-making and will build upon previous exercises conducted in 2009 and 2011. Government officials will simulate decision-making and alerting procedures to the last step before public notification. However, due care will be taken to avoid public panic.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2014.
Pakistan will join 20 other countries from around the Indian Ocean Rim in mock tsunami scenarios on Wednesday, said Touseef Alam, the chief meteorologist at the meteorological department’s National Tsunami Warning Centre. The purpose of the exercise, titled ‘Indian Ocean Wave 2014’ (IOwave14), is to increase preparedness, evaluate each country’s response capabilities and improve regional coordination, he said. “The 2004 tsunami highlighted the need to be better prepared,” Alam said. “We will test procedures of the Indian Ocean tsunami warning and mitigation system and help identify the participants’ operational strengths and weaknesses.” IOwave14 will simulate tsunami warning situations requiring governmental decision-making and will build upon previous exercises conducted in 2009 and 2011. Government officials will simulate decision-making and alerting procedures to the last step before public notification. However, due care will be taken to avoid public panic.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2014.