Southern provinces alert for tsunami

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Southern provinces alert for tsunami
By The Nation
2011-03-12

Narathiwat and Pattani were bracing early today for a possible tsunami resulting from yesterday's huge earthquake off Japan, and Songkhla remains at risk, a Meteorological Department official said.

The department's provincial chief in Narathiwat, Manee Uttharak, said waves could reach the coast of Narathiwat by about 4.56am, reaching a height of 4 metres a kilometre off the coast. Provincial authorities ordered rescue workers to stand by and prepare for a possible evacuation of a 50km stretch of the province facing the Gulf of Thailand.

However, provincial Governor Thanon Wetchakorakanon played down the danger, issuing a statement that the waves' height should not be high and their force would not be too great.

"The waves would be a little higher than usual. Don't panic," he said.

"Fishermen's villages along the Ban Thon coast to Tak Bai district may be at risk but evacuation is not needed now. But if the waves become violent, warnings and evacuation will be ordered immediately," he added.

Meteorological Department spokesman Phoowieang Prakhammin said the waves' height should be no more than 20 centimetres. "We have tsunamiwarning devices installed in the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. They can give us warnings four or five hours in advance," he added.

However, the Department of Mineral Resources said the waves should reach Vietnam by 6.30am, before an analysis is made to determine whether tsunami warnings would be necessary. "We will judge from the waves' height hitting Vietnam - when they reach Thailand the height may not be great," a spokesman said.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand said the quake in Japan did not affect two major dams in Kanchanaburi. "Both Sri Nakharin and Vajiralongkorn dams have not been affected by the quakes, judging from seismic meters attached at both sites," said Weerachai Chaisakaew, a senior Egat official.

Each year, more than 100 earthquakes of magnitudes higher than 6 - classified as "great" or higher - occur across the globe. The worst last year was in Haiti, where more than 230,000 residents were killed.

So far this year, 13 quakes on that scale have occurred.