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BANGKOK,
July 25 (TNA) – Thailand's tsunami early warning system and evacuation plan
last night are 80 percent successful, said Plodprasop Suraswadi, Director of
the National Disaster Warning Center.
Thailand issued a tsunami warning for the Andaman coastal provinces,
inlcuding
Phuket,
Phang-nga,
Krabi,
Ranong,
Trang and Satun, after an earthquake measured 7.3 on the Richter scale
occurred in the sea near the Indian Nicobar Islands, about 664 kilometers
southwest of Phuket.
The tsunami warning was lifted early Monday morning.
The center has evaluated the operations of its officials and the tsunami
early warning system after the earthquake jolted the area, the director
said.
However, provincial evacuation plans must be improved so that people
would not be left stranded on congested roads, he suggested.
Safe places on higher ground should also be clearly designated and
publicized, he said.
"Thailand needs to speed up its installation of tsunami-detection buoys
in the Andaman Sea in order to increase the efficiency of the warning
system," he added.
The earthquake caused five small tsunami waves, followed by three
aftershocks measured five on the Richter scale, he disclosed.
The center works around the clock, he said.
Since the tsunami hit Thailand on 26 December last year, there have been
about 2,000 earthquakes in the kingdom, but the warning will be issued for
those measured over 7 on the Richter scale, according to Mr. Prodprasop.
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