ODPEM tests tsunami warning system

KINGSTON — Disasters are unpredictable and can occur at any time. As such, it is imperative that preparedness mechanisms be implemented to cushion the impact and damage.

Across the globe, discussions are still ongoing about the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that occurred in Japan, causing widespread deaths, injury and property damage.

The disaster resulted in many countries re-examining their preparedness mechanisms, especially since a tsunami is likely to take place anywhere, after a massive earthquake.

A tsunami is a series of waves caused by the displacement of a large body of water, usually an ocean; though it can occur in large lakes. Due to the immense volumes of water and the high energy involved, tsunamis can devastate coastal regions.

While we cannot be completely prepared for natural disasters, it does make sense to be as prepared as possible. To this end, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), recently carried out a Tsunami Simulation Exercise for the Caribbean, to raise awareness about the phenomenon and examine the early warning signs in place for the region.

Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Director General of ODPEM, Ronald Jackson, says the initiative was aimed at assessing and improving these mechanisms.

“It was really to look at our own protocol for dealing with a tsunami threat, and to really see how our current resources would be deployed, how our existing early warnings mechanisms could be used, to disseminate the warning information out to the last mile,” he says.

This was really a region initiative, not just aimed at addressing the targets that ODPEM has, but a region wide objective. The exercise also seeks to ensure that Caribbean disaster management agencies are ready to respond, in the event of a hazard threat, such as a tsunami.

“What we did really, was to go through the scenarios that generated within our national emergency operational centre…and then look at what would have been the response by the respective agencies, or the agency with the responsibility,” he informs.

With regards to Jamaica, the Director General notes that the Agency has been working to ensure that the early warning mechanisms are up to standard, and will alert the public to a tsunami threat through SMS texting.

“The next available mechanism is the electronic media; that’s quite useful and can be immediate for emergency public address or public broadcast. The other option that is available now is to use the coastguard, the JDF (Jamaica Defence Force) air wing, the marine police and the nearby police patrol cars to go in coastal communities and do the loud hail up,” he says. 

Mr. Jackson informs that it is important to know the early warning signs of a tsunami and, most importantly, how to respond in the event a tsunami hits, especially if you live near coastal areas.

“If you feel a violent earthquake and you’re on the coastline, it means that you need to head to a higher ground,” he states.

“Don’t wait to hear a message coming across, move, because the timeframe between the event happening and the dissemination may still be very short, as we saw in the case of Japan and other places which are much more advanced with warning information,” he points out.

He notes that when a tsunami occurs, seawater tends to recede from the shoreline, exposing aquatic life living close to the shore.

“What that is also saying to you is that, you need to run to higher ground, because what is going to happen is that a wave is going to come back in, (and) that is going to be very devastating,” he says, adding that while some warning mechanisms are in place the agency is planning to develop others to make the warning system even more effective.

Through the tsunami simulation exercise for the Caribbean, ODPEM was able to assess the country’s mechanism and its readiness to respond to an event.

By CHRIS PATTERSON, JIS Reporter