Department to carry out typhoon drill tomorrow

The Civil Protection Operational Center will organize a drill that simulates extreme weather conditions at Coloane and Sao Lourenco Market tomorrow.

A Unitary Police Official announced on TDM’s Radio talkshow on Wednesday that evacuation signals will be broadcast by police vehicles within the vicinity of the two sites, and that the public will be informed beforehand that the call will only be a drill.

The drill, dubbed “Crystal Fish,” aims to test the newly established evacuation plan and emergency command platform, following last year’s deadly Typhoon Hato, TDM reported.

The drill will be held between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. tomorrow, imitating storm surge, while residents in high-risk flooding areas will be evacuated. 

“Our drill will launch an evacuation that allows people to safely get out of where they are. And by evacuation I mean to take the public to higher ground or to the checkpoint set up by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, located on the fourth floor of the Sao Lourenco Market,” said a Unitary Police Official.

“Our police vehicles will then [after setting up] broadcast the evacuation information, informing the public about our typhoon drill. There’s no need for residents and tourists to take part and actually evacuate. So hereby we’d like to call on the public to cooperate with our on-site officers on Saturday,” he added.

Officials said that the center is planning to carry out similar simulations including in low- lying areas as the city prepares for cyclone season.

The Civil Protection Operational Center kicked off its operations in May last year, located inside Taipa’s Immigration Department Office building.