Tsunami readiness put to test
Rescue operators along the Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach which is on the Indian Ocean uses an amplified machine to evacuate holiday makers from the Indian ocean as an alert was issued by the government after tsunami hit Indonesia early on the day, April 11, 2012. All people or holiday makers along the beach line were evacuated by police. Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU
What you need to know:
- Agencies on alert include disaster managers, Kenya Maritime, Navy, Fisheries, and the Kenya Wildlife Service
Kenya’s disaster preparedness came to the test on Wednesday after a Tsunami alert was issued in a country that has battled terror, fire and flood disasters in recent times.
Fishermen, boat operators and revellers were on Wednesday afternoon ordered off the waters along the Kenyan Coastline, in anticipation of Tsunami waves triggered by an 8.6 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia.
From Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa and the South Coast, government officers and disaster management groups led by the Kenya Red Cross moved in fast to enforce the directive issued after an evaluation carried out by Emergency Operation Centre in Nairobi.
Other organisations on alert incase of any emergencies included the Kenya Maritime Authority, the Kenya Navy, the Fisheries Department and the Kenya Wildlife Service.
Left the beaches
In Malindi, residents and tourists left the beaches after being informed of the alert.
Speaking to the Nation, Red Cross Malindi boss Hassan Musa said they received the alert from their regional office. “Since morning we have been creating awareness,” he said.
He noted that the Red Cross had recently completed training volunteer life savers who they would use to make people stay away from the beach.
“The response we got has been positive. We are working together with other stakeholders, but we will have the life-savers around the beach just in case,” the Red Cross boss said.
Kenya Wildlife Services senior warden Isaac Mugo told the Nation by telephone they tried to warn all those involved with services at the beach of the alert. “Our main concern is with the boat operators but we have also alerted the district security team as a precautionary measure,” said the senior warden.
But a spot check at the Malindi jetty found several primary school children and some local tourists enjoying the cooling sea waters.
“There are a few people at the beach but most of the evacuation work will be carried out later in the evening when the tsunami is expected,” Mr Mugo said. One of the boat operators at the Malindi Marine Park, Said Ahmed Mwinyi, confirmed KWS personnel had notified them.
“Yes KWS have notified us about the tsunami alert but we do not think it is going to have any major effect on our shores,” he said.
Mr Mwinyi added that the boat operators had continued with their work undeterred saying the ocean was calm with no turbulent waves.
In Lamu, area district commissioner Steve Ikua instructed groups of fishermen and boat operators to be on high alert.
Residents of Lamu depend on boats to cross the channel from Mokowe to the Island. Similarly there are numerous fishing boats that operate around the Island.
“I have explained to them and they are alert,” he told the Nation. Similarly, Kenya Ferry Services, another key player in the maritime industry at the Coast was keeping an eye on the situation.
“We are closely monitoring things and will act accordingly should there be any new developments. “At the moment we are on full blast, with our four ferries operating at optimal level,” KFS managing director Hassan Musa said.
The KFS vessels shuttle thousands of Mombasa residents daily across the Likoni channel, which would be affected should the tsunami waves strike the coastline.
