Indonesia's response to a massive earthquake and a tsunami scare Wednesday highlights a critical reality: Warning systems and emergency responses have come a long way since the catastrophe of eight years ago. But there's still work to be done -- not just in Indonesia, but in some other countries throughout the region as well.Fears that Wednesday's 8.6-magnitude quake and resulting tsunami alert could bring a repeat of the 2004 disaster dissipated quickly as seismologists determined that Wednesday's events were very different and much less dangerous.In the intervening hours, Indonesia put in place many of the procedures it has worked on for years, including some practiced at a drill witnessed by CNN in 2009.
"The lesson of 2004 is something that we're not going to repeat at this stage," vowed Teuku Faizasyah, a spokesman for the Indonesian president's office.Speaking to CNN while evacuations were under way in parts of his country, he said the government was working "to bring confidence among the people that the government is with them." Residents were being evacuated from some areas and encouraged to head to higher ground quickly, and authorities were trying to get information from remote areas, he said.Later, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted a tsunami watch for the entire Indian Ocean, indicating the threat had passed.
"The tsunami warning system worked well," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency. "People reacted quickly and evacuated to higher ground. Mosques, churches helped spread the information to the public. There was panic but that's expected."No serious casualties or major damage was reported Wednesday from the quake and the 8.2-magnitude aftershock off the coast of Sumatra. Four people were slightly injured on Simeulue Island, off the coast of Aceh, the disaster management agency spokesman said.
POSTED BY JORAM JULIA, BAPRM 12016
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