Coastal communities in southern Thailand hold tsunami evacuation and emergency response drills to strengthen disaster preparedness for the six provinces hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
The two-day exercises in the southern provinces of Krabi, Trang, Phang Nga, Phuket, Ranong, and Satun on the coast of the Andaman Sea focused on both evacuation and rescue operations.
In Trang, over 300 students and residents took part in the drill which was organized mainly by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Provincial administrative officials, military officers and emergency responders also joined the drills to test warning system, evacuation procedure and medical response. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami severely damaged the coastal provinces and claimed more than 5,000 lives in Thailand. (TNA)
