Phuket primed for tsunami warning drill

PHUKET: The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has confirmed the precise times the NDWC will sound the tsunami warning towers in the six Andaman provinces, including Phuket, during the full-scale evacuation drill on Monday.

Dr Somsak Khaosuwan, director of the NDWC’s warning system management team, this morning told the Gazette that the tsunami warning towers will sound at four times: 9:50am, 9:55am, 10:10am, and finally at 10:36am to cancel the alarm.

The NDWC urges people not to panic during the drill, he said.

Local administrations are to organize any evacuation drills in their respective areas.

Patong: The Patong Municipality Disaster Suppression and Prevention Division has announced that people wanting to take part in the drill must register before 9am at the police box at the beach end of Soi Bangla, which will serve as the operations center.

Participants will head along Soi Bangla, turn right on Rat U-Thit 200 Pi Road, and then left into the access road beside Jungceylon, where they will congregate in the parking lot of the Millennium Resort, a designated “safe zone”.

The total walking distance from the Bangla police box to the safe zone is 800 meters.

Kamala: Participants are to register at Rajaprachanukroh 36 School between 8am and 9am.

When the tsunami alarms sound, the participants will break into three groups and move towards three designated safe areas:

After the tsunami alarm has been canceled, participants still at the school and at the Pajaak intersection will move and join the others at the Andara Resort, which has been designated the evacuation drill headquarters for Kamala. The drill will finish at 11:30am.

Phuket Town: Participants will congregate at the tsunami warning tower on the waterfront at Saphan Hin.

When the alarms sound, Phuket Town Mayor Somjai Suwansupapana will lead participants to the safe area at Wat Saensuk. The drill will finish at 11:30am.

As in previous drills, the Gazette encourages readers to report on whether the warning towers in their areas are sounding properly. Let us know, please, by email to news@phuketgazette.net

— Pimwara Choksakulpan