Macau braces for typhoon season with Crystal Fish drill

The government held its annual Crystal Fish drill, testing the city’s preparedness for the upcoming typhoon season.

The Secretary for Security and Joint Civil Protection Operations Commander, Wong Sio Chak, announced the commencement of the exercise on Saturday and received a briefing from members of the civil protection structure.

The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) predicts that four to seven tropical cyclones will affect Macau this year, with the possibility of a strong typhoon. In light of this, the exercise aims to test the communication, coordination, and response capabilities of the civil protection structure. It also seeks to raise public awareness of disaster preparedness and mitigation through the participation of civil defense volunteers, community organizations, and the public.

A total of 421 members of the public took part in the evacuation drill, which simulated various typhoon scenarios.

Participants practiced responding to incidents, clearing landslides, assisting with power outages, and rescuing trapped individuals. The exercise also included demonstrations of temporary flood prevention measures for drainage systems and box culverts.

Considering the ongoing construction in the Inner Harbor and Fai Chi Kei areas, the departments concerned increased the number of on-site drills on siltation of sewers and flooding of roads. Additionally, drills were conducted on temporary flood prevention measures for the Leisure Area in Baía Norte do Fai Chi Kei.

To enhance public awareness of the alarm sounds, the exercise incorporated the use of four high-point alarm systems, said Wong, adding that it emphasized the continued involvement of civil defense volunteers in post-disaster clean-up efforts.

Meanwhile, the official said the drill highlights the importance of community involvement in disaster preparedness. By engaging the public in drills and simulations, “Macau fosters a sense of collective responsibility and encourages individuals to take an active role in protecting themselves and their communities.” Staff Reporter