Six schools at the Aleipata Coastal Area will conduct a tsunami evacuation drill today.
The schools are Aleipata College, Saleaumua Primary School, Lotopue Primary School, Satitoa Primary School, Ulutogia Primary School and Vailoa Primary School. All schools were affected by the 2009 tsunami.
The tsunami drill will be a full operational exercise to test and evaluate the operational and decision making readiness of principals, staff and students and school committees in the event of a tsunami affecting.
The drill will also test the effectiveness of the S.M.S early warning system in place.
It will allow these schools to simulate evacuation of the students in a safe manner to the identified safe locations as well as to test their drafted School’s Disaster Management Plan.
The tsunami drill is a partnership initiative between the government of Samoa, the government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (U.N.DP.) through the implementation of the “Partnerships for Strengthening School Preparedness for Tsunami in the Asia Pacific Region” project.
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