Scores of people either walked or drove up to Palisi in the heavy rain as part of their evacuation when a national tsunami drill was effected on Thursday.

Many businesses and government offices were closed at around 1 pm so public servants and employees could participate in the drill which involved moving to designated evacuation sites on elevated land. Banks in the Apia central business area also shut their doors early.

While the heavy rain threatened to throw the spanner in the works, the National Disaster Management Office (D.M.O.) did not call off the drill when it began to rain. There were some schools that opted not to take part because of the rain.

Molly Faamanatu Nielsen, who is the Assistant Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment's Disaster Management Office, told this newspaper that the tsunami drill served its purpose.

"It was very useful it served its purpose which was to test existing tsunami plans, procedures and processes of businesses, agencies, schools and villages," said the ACEO.

Asked if there will be more drills in the future, said: "Yes, there will be more drills. As a result of this drill, the ministry will be coordinating monthly tabletop exercises, and annual drills with all response agencies, businesses, schools and villages with different scenarios: examples – tsunamis, cyclones, pandemics, flooding and other hazards."

Ms. Nielsen added that the ministry needed more funding to install more tsunami sirens, to ensure their response mechanism to natural disasters is more effective.

The tsunami drill was for the Apia Urban Area to test existing Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems and safety routes in the event of a tsunami.

The five sirens recently installed in the Vaisigano Catchment area together with the Samoa Fire Emergency Service Association (SFESA) sirens were used during the emergency exercise.

The Government Prayer House up at Palisi was used as one of the gathering points for locals and a temporary shelter from the pouring rain.

Angelina Eteuati from the village of Vailele was one of the hundreds of government workers who walked up the hill and was equally impressed to see the efforts of many others.

“I think it is helpful given that we’re vulnerable to natural disasters and that the location is quite accessible but I can’t say for sure if it was at night,” she said. “It was pretty easy to get here and I feel safe at this location as it is very far from the sea. Having these drills would be very beneficial for everyone, especially for those living outside of the Apia Urban area.

“They should consider taking this out to the rural areas as they are the more vulnerable communities so that they would know what to do in such an event.

“It was hard trying to get here because it was really raining and maybe MNRE should factor in the rain and the time taken to ascend the mountain.” 

The locations given by the D.M.O. for the seven evacuation sites were the Tuanaimato Sports Complex, Saint Joseph’s College in Alafua, Channel College in Moamoa, the Government Prayer house up at Palisi, Malifa School compound and Nurses Hall at Motootua, Burial grounds at Magiagi and the National University of Samoa at Toomatagi, and Samoa College at Vaivase.