The Indian Tsunami Warning Centre And Mitigation System,

[ROUDRAM]

housed in Incois, simulated the first earthquake of 8.2 magnitude at 6:30 a.m. and within five minutes, the National Disaster Management Authority, the Coast Guard and the Navy were alerted. Thus began the 12-hour exercise to test the preparedness of the administrative machinery to handle such disasters. By 6:45 a.m., Incois issued an updated bulletin giving a more precise location of the quake and raising the magnitude from 8.2 to 8.8 on the Richter Scale. Half-an-hour later the exact location of the earthquake was identified and the magnitude was revised to 9.2 on the Richter Scale. Three types of bulletins were issued -- the first for an tsunami alert, another for a tsunami watch and a final for a tsunami warning. Maps were issued for the third category and villages covered under the warning were evacuated. "This exercise was meant for testing the communications system and preparedness for such disaster," Shenai said. Ten states and union territories, three nuclear plants, six port authorities, Navy, Coast Guard and the Union Home Ministry Control Room were involved in the exercise. These were the level one participants and only the administrative wings of these institutions were involved in the exercise. PTI SKU

[Maximus]