Met Dept quashes tsunami rumour

Hiran H. Senewiratne

The Meteorology Department categorically denied the rumour that a tsunami will hit Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia on July 22. Many people in the coastal areas had panicked by the rumour which has no scientific basis.

There has been a rumour with a solar eclipse would trigger a tsunami affecting several countries including Sri Lanka on July 22, which has no scientific basis whatsoever, Director General, Meteorology Department, C. L. Chandrasena said.

He said they are constantly on alert, 24 hours, to inform the public through the media and other sources in the event of a tsunami, cyclone or any other disaster situation. Therefore, he had asked the public not to be misled by any rumour from un-official sources, he said.

Chandrasena said that the Sri Lanka Met Department, Geological and Mines Bureau and the Disaster Management Centre are the official bodies who inform the public on the possibility of a natural disaster in the country.

Other than that there are no other bodies entrusted with this task to inform the public. He said they are constantly working closely with Japanese and Californian University geologists and so far they have not predicted any tsunami situation with the solar eclipse.

“Further, we are also working with Japanese Tsunami Centre and Pacific Tsunami Centre and in the event of such emergency we will be informed by them within 10 minutes, he said.

Meanwhile, Disaster Management Centre will hold a tsunami preparedness rehearsal today at 3 p.m. with the participation of 11 coastal villages covering 11 districts in the country, its Director General Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi said.

He said they have been doing such rehearsals before, but this one is a well-organized rehearsal and all early warning systems, maps and routes have been drawn.

The police and Army will not be involved in this programme.

Major General Hettiarachchi said they have formed four committees in all districts including First Aid, Early Warning, Search and Rescue, and Camp Management Committees. In the future they will hold a rehearsal covering the entire country, he said.