Tsunami contingency plan in place: NEA

Straits Times Forum 24 Mar 11;

WE THANK Mr Tin Chee Yee ('Let's be prepared') and Mr Lee Kek Chin ('Set up crisis communication site') for their letters on Monday.

Following a study in 2008, the National Environment Agency (NEA) informed the public that there was a low probability of Singapore being affected by a tsunami, as the country is sheltered by the surrounding land masses. The shallow waters in the Malacca Strait and South China Sea will significantly slow down the propagation and dissipate the energy of a tsunami before it reaches Singapore.

The potential impact on Singapore will therefore be minimal.

Notwithstanding this, NEA has implemented an early warning system to closely monitor the occurrence of earthquakes and tsunamis.

A multi-agency tsunami response plan is also in place to coordinate the responses of the relevant government agencies.

In the event a tsunami is assessed to potentially affect Singapore, NEA will issue advisories and warnings to the public via media channels. As part of its contingency planning, Singapore also participates regularly in international tsunami response exercises to test and fine-tune our operational readiness. Inter-agency exercises are conducted regularly.

For the Japan crisis, the Singapore Government has established a micro-site on www.gov.sg as a one-stop information portal for the public. This site provides useful information and frequently asked questions.

The micro-site is also available through the www.gov.sg apps on the iPhone and Android phones, as well as the www.gov.sg mobile site.

Patricia Ee (Ms)
Acting Director
Operational Services Department
Meteorological Services
National Environment Agency

K. Bhavani (Ms)
Director
Public Communications Division
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts

Let's be prepared
Straits Times Forum 21 Mar 11;

'Are there tsunami warning systems on our beaches, at our air and sea ports?'

MR TIN CHEE YEE: 'Singapore is surrounded by sea and the earthquake zone is not that far away. Should we consider conducting tsunami drills? Are there tsunami warning systems on our beaches, at our air and sea ports, and on our islands? It is better to be prepared than sorry.'

Set up crisis communication site
Straits Times Forum 24 Mar 11;

THE crisis in Japan has driven home the need to have a robust system to locate and account for loved ones when disasters strike.

When cellphone networks were jammed following the earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese used online social sites like Facebook and Twitter to contact loved ones and search for missing persons.

The authorities here should consider setting up an online 'disaster recovery' site which all can access to update their whereabouts or register names of missing kin, friends and neighbours.

Once such a site is set up and publicised - it could be made part of our Total Defence exercise - people will know what to do in times of crisis.

Lee Kek Chin