President to attend Tsunami Simulation Drill in Banten

Cilegon (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was expected to attend a tsunami simulation drill and a function to commemorate the tsunami which hit Aceh on December 26, 2004, in Gunung Sugih village, Ciwandam subdistrict, Cilegon City, Banten province, on Wednesday (Dec 26).

Chairman of the Disaster Mitigation Unit in Cilegon City, Edi Aryadi, said here Tuesday the president`s readiness to attend the activity reflected the government`s attention to efforts to handle possible natural disasters in Indonesia.

According to him, the tsunami simulation drill could at least mitigate possible natural disasters as Cilegon among other areas lies near the coastline of Sunda Strait.

"The tsunami simulation drill gives a basic knowledge to rescue and evacuate victims," he said, adding that the activity would reflect a situation in which people panic due to a natural disaster and then they rush to refugee camps.

The participants during the tsunami simulation drill quickly evacuate the victims to receive help from a joint team consisting of military and medical personnel and volunteers, he said.(*)

Source: ANTARA News