Nurdin Hasan

Acehnese Doubt Usefulness Of Tsunami Response Drill

Banda Aceh. Though a tsunami early warning drill planned for today is supposed to mitigate against the impact of another deadly wall of water, some Acehnese survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster are not looking forward to it.

Ramlah, a resident of Ulee Lheue in Banda Aceh, said people, including himself, were still traumatized by the horrific tragedy.

“Do not let the drill bring panic to people, just like the previous drill, where people were hurt frantically running to safety after hearing the siren,” Ramlah said.

He added he hoped the drill would not involve too many people.

Twenty-four countries surrounding the Indian Ocean will conduct a tsunami early warning test today to familiarize citizens and government officers with the early warning procedures and the chain of command for emergency responses. All participating countries affected by the tsunami will be involved.

The tsunami killed approximately 230,000 people, 170,000 of whom were Acehnese.

“Some countries will conduct the tsunami drill simultaneously. In Aceh, the drill will be held in three locations, namely, Ulee Lheue, Lhoknya [Aceh Besar], and Balohan [Sabang],” said Muhammad Dirhamsyah, director of the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center of Banda Aceh’s Syiah Kuala University.

Aceh government spokesperson Nurdin F Joes said the drill would mark the United Nation’s International Disaster Day.

“The drill is to provide disaster mitigation officers with a better understanding about their main duties and functions during the sequences of disaster warning and the chain of command on the responses,” Nurdin said.

In the Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar districts, there are six shelters that were built during the reconstruction process in the wake of 2004’s tsunami.

There are five tsunami warning sirens throughout Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar.

There will be around 200 people playing victims in the practice scenario. “The drill will be using a scenario based on the 2004 tsunami,” said Juriono, an employee of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

But another victim, Reza, said that such drill was useless for Acehnese, as they all would automatically flee to higher, safer places in the event of a tsunami warning.

“2004’s tsunami taught us a valuable lesson. So, in my opinion, the event seems to be nothing but a waste of money, he said.

A previous drill, he added, “was just like a party.”

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