Drill turns into real-life drama

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang

A loud alarm at the school indicates a huge earthquake and the students and teachers immediately take cover under their desks. They reach for their bags and place them on their heads.

After the quake is over, they walk quickly outside the school buildings, still with their bags and books covering their heads, and gather on an open field at the school's center to be counted.

The siren keeps on blaring -- an indication that the earthquake may have triggered a tsunami -- and the students and teachers hastily leave the school, with some assisting their "injured" friends.

One group of students crosses the road to assemble near the sturdy Bank Mandiri building on the left side of the school, while another moves to another multi-story building at the school's front. Some carry ladders to allow them to reach buildings' upper windows if debris block their way. Both these buildings have been designated safe places for people to take refuge during a tsunami.

Suddenly, the drill is not a drill anymore. As the students and teachers enter the two buildings the ground shakes hard and people in the area begin to scream. As the students again drop and take cover, workers dash out the buildings with terrified looks on their faces.

The drill was part of the senior high school's civil defense program in the West Sumatra capital of Padang.

At the time of the exercise on Saturday, which was being recorded by Japanese broadcaster NHK, a large offshore earthquake with its 6.9-magnitude epicenter located 50 kilometers northwest of Padang, rocked the city, causing minor damage.

An observer from the United Nations, Trevo Page, said was pleased with the efforts of the students, who had received training from the National Coordination Agency for Disaster Management (Bakornas).

"The exercise is a success. West Sumatra is well-prepared, and only needs to educate the public at large," Page said.

Bakornas Disaster Mitigation Bureau head Sugeng Triotumo, Padang Mayor Fauzi Bahar and Education Office head Marjohan, who also provided instruction on safety, attended the event.

Sugeng said the idea of conducting the civil defense exercises came from Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who wanted all quake-prone areas along the west coast of Sumatra, especially densely populated coastal cities like Padang, Pariaman and Bengkulu, to be ready.

"We don't know when an earthquake and tsunami will happen, but looking at the signs and analysis conducted by the National Science Institute (LIPI), the west coast of Sumatra down to the south coast of Java are at great risk (of such disasters). But (luckily) there are relatively fewer people living along the southern coast of Java," Sugeng said.

The exercises, conducted by the Bakornas and provincial administrations, were part of a four-day provincial program, Sugeng said. In the initial stage, they involved 400 students and teachers from 30 senior, junior and elementary schools located along the coast.

"The program exists to enhance early warning procedures and reduce panic among the public if a situation arises. It's easier to teach the students first and then they will pass on the information to their parents," Sugeng said.

Fauzi said after the program toured schools he planned to widen it to include government and private sector employees and eventually general residents.

The exercise was welcomed by the participants.

Yudha, a final year student at SMU 1 Padang said he was quite relaxed after receiving training. "I'm not worried anymore if an earthquake and tsunami hit the city because I know where to run and what needs to be done," he said.