Chennai: With tsunami, cyclone and flash floods having haunted people every December, the state disaster management authority will conduct a tsunami mock drill in 13 coastal districts of Tamil Nadu on Friday.
Coast Guard and National Disaster Response Force will also join the massive drill and the state is also gearing up for fresh spells of rains from Sunday, Commissioner of Disaster Management K. Satyagopal told DC.
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, is the nodal authority for tsunami alerts and the drill will be conducted on its recommendations and modules. In 2015, a drill was conducted in TN but this is the first time that a massive mock drill is planned for the entire eastern coast covering West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra and Tamil Nadu, the commissioner said.
All the 13 coastal district collectors have been informed about the drill and the entire state machinery comprising fire, police, civic, health and the revenue authorities will take part in the massive exercise. Based on the outcome, the shortcomings will be identified for strengthening the disaster management, the top official said. According to revenue department sources in Chennai, the mock drill will be conducted at Oorurkupan and Nayinarkuppam. In Kancheepuram the fishing hamlets of Kovalam and Paramankenikuppam identified for the drill. Prominent coastal villages like Colachel in Kanyakumari, Kuttam in Tirunelveli, Kayalpatt-inam in Tuticorin and Nochikuppam in Villupuram are also places identified for the tsunami drill.
Collectors in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram also urged the residents not to spread rumours and coordinate with authorities during the drill.
The state disaster management authorities have also sounded a warning for civic authorities to look out heavy spells of rain from Sunday. According to regional meteorological department sources, monsoon will gain pace from next week with possibility of heavy rains at isolated places over south Tamil Nadu.
