Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai was on the scene to monitor the exercises, which were to check the operation of the country's tsunami warning system and to improve skills of various groups and authorities in responding to a disaster.
The Viet Nam Institute of Geophysics, the National Committee for Search and Rescue, the Da Nang Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention, and local armed forces and people joined in the activities.
The drill was based on a scenario that a magnitude 8.8 earthquake had happened in the west of the Philippines and would cause a 6m tsunami that would strike the coast of Da Nang and encroach the mainland by 700m within two or three hours.
It assumed that 6,500 tourists were in the area and 75 vessels with 1,000 fishermen were fishing at sea. Scenes of sunk vessels, swamped boats, collapsed houses, upturned cars and broken electricity poles and injured people were set. Meanwhile, about 450 boats anchored inshore needed protection and 27,000 households with 133,500 people needed evacuation. As many as 26,000 elders and children were in utmost emergency.
Nearly 3,000 servicemen from armed forces, including naval soldiers, marine police and coastguards, were mobilised on the scene to help evacuate local people to secure areas and repair damage. Military vehicles, speed boats and helicopters were used.
Yesterday's exercises took place within an hour, with evacuation and rescue activities carried out shortly after the first alerts.
Truong Chi Lang, a representative of the drill's directive board, said the drill was successful. He appreciated the prompt action and good communication of participants and close co-operation of the forces.
"But if a disaster occurs, the situation will be much more complicated," Lang warned. "Damage will be extremely heavy and serious on a large scale and they will cost us huge effort, money and time to repair."
He urged municipal authorities at all levels to regularly attach special importance to building tsunami scenarios and plans to cope with disasters.
"In making investments for socio-economic development and building master plans for coastal infrastructure, the city should take calamity prevention works and rescue facilities into account," he suggested.
On his test of the tsunami warning system earlier this year, Hai stressed the importance of ensuring regular alert system maintenance and safety, giving quick notices and informing people in high-risk areas. He also urged authorities to raise awareness among locals on the issue.
"Disasters are proving very worrying and Viet Nam is also facing complicated increasing problems associated with climate change. So the quicker we act, the less effect there will be on people and the economy," he said.
An official from the National Committee for Search and Rescue urged other coastal provinces and cities to draw experiences from yesterday's exercise and build suitable plans to be well-prepared for sudden natural disasters.
According to the Viet Nam Institute of Geophysics, the subduction zone of Manila in the west of Philippines is one of the most dangerous tsunami sources which can affect the country's coast, besides the fault lines of south-central Viet Nam and the Riukiu area of Taiwan.
VNS
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