OCD-ARMM conducts tsunami drill to Sulu locals

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=892699
• Tuesday, June 7, 2016

(PNA), PGL/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, June 7 (PNA) -- When tsunami strikes in Sulu and the surrounding island towns, most of its residents know what to do, a disaster official today said.

About 300 residents of Barangay Suh in Panamao, Sulu have participated in a tsunami drill conducted by the Office of Civil Defense in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OCD-ARMM) Monday in one of the series of training and simulation conducted across the region.

Myrna Angot, OCD-ARMM regional director, lauded the participation of local government officials and the locals during the training which helped educate the people.

Hadja Nur Ada Jairul, Panamao town disaster risk reduction and management office, said before the actual training, a simulation exercises was conducted to include orientation and table top exercise.

She said should calamity like tsunami strikes, the people know what to do and where to go.

The simulation exercise on tsunami aims to test communication systems used in earthquake and tsunami warnings and improve how Panamao local government unit prepare and respond to disasters.

“This drill will significantly help in practicing the contingency plan for tsunami,” Panamao Municipal Mayor HadjiGapor S. Abdurajak said.

Angot said the tsunami drill serves as reminder to those who might not have a plan yet in place should a tsunami hit the coastal barangays of Panamao.

“We must identify an area on high ground to where we can safely relocate. Let us make it sure also there are no potential hazards that may prevent us from using the evacuation route safely,” Angot said.

Responder groups during the drill include Panamao Emergency Responders Team (PERT), MDRRMC, Panamao Municipal Police Station, Department of Health- HEMS Panamao, Bureau of Fire Protection- Sulu, and the Philippine Red Cross- Sulu.

Angot said the training will also be conducted in other coastal towns and provinces of ARMM.

ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.