Testing tsunami preparedness

In the end, the giant quakes off Indonesia on Wednesday caused a great deal of panic but little damage. But it gave many countries a chance to test the warning systems introduced after the 2004 Asia tsunami. The alert in the wake of the quake put into motion the tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean, a network of tidal gauges, deep-ocean buoys and seismic monitors completed after 2004.

At a magnitude of 8.6, the first of the two quakes was the 10th strongest recorded in the past 100 years, with all the others having produced deadly tsunamis. But lessons were learnt after more than 200,000 lives were lost in 2004. Indonesia launched a $130 million (Dh477 million) tsunami warning system in November 2008 in a bid to prevent a repeat of tragedies. Though there was no tsunami this time, it gave a chance to many nations to test their preparedness.

Thailand, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Reunion Island, Sri Lanka and Myanmar also issued alerts or evacuation orders. Sri Lankan authorities said the alert had exposed serious problems of traffic management. It also exposed the inability of mobile phone networks to cope in an emergency, although coastal residents appeared to be well-prepared.

In other countries too, the use of smart phones and social media helped spread the word of the impending danger. Had a tsunami struck, this time Asia was better prepared.