Exercise in elimination of tsunami aftermaths begins in Kamchatka

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, September 27 (Itar-Tass) - A command post
exercise in eliminating the aftermaths of a tsunami has begun in Kamchatka.
Under the scenario of the exercise, a devastating killer wave hits the
eastern - Pacific - coast of the Peninsula.
A spokesman for the press service of the Kamchatka territorial branch
of the Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense /EMERCOM/ told
Itar-Tass it received a report at 08:00 hours local time /20:00 hours GMT
Monday/ that the tsunami had hit the town of Ust-Kamchatsk located some
520 kilometers to the northeast of the regional capital
Petropavlovsk-Kmachatsky.
The rescue services immediately launched the efforts to inform the
population, to step up collaboration and data exchange with all the units
of the regional system for elimination of emergency situations.
As the exercise moves on to the town of Zaozyorny, a suburb of
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the rescue services will simulate the practical
steps to render help to the victims of the natural calamity, to evacuate
people from the calamity-stricken areas, to clear the ruins of buildings,
and to put out fires.
The drill under the topic named 'Organization of Control over Forces
of the Territorial Subsystem in Charge of Eliminating the Consequences of
Earthquakes on Tsunamis on Kamchatka' is part and parcel of EMERCOM's
comprehensive plan of main events and it winds up the cycle of similar
exercises held in different parts of the Kamchatka territory and the
Sakhalin region in 2009 and 2010.
The progress of the exercises is monitored by EMERCOM'S regional
center.
Similar drills are to be held Tuesday in the Primorsky /Maritime/
territory and the Sakhalin region.