DHS to complete tsunami report next week

by Nick Delgado

Guam - Office of Civil Defense Administrator Chuck Ada recently returned from the Pacific Risk Management Ohana Conference in American Samoa. Ada says the event provided important information to help the island better prepare for natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis.

A Tsunami Awareness Course also wrapped up this week at the Guam Hilton where officials with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center provided training to the island's first responders. Ada says they will be meeting next week Tuesday to finalize the report on the response efforts conducted during the March 11 tsunami warning.

Said Ada, "We're going to through it with the stakeholders within the Emergency Operations Center and once the first draft is completed then we'll edit it and share it with the public."

Ada said preliminary challenges were caused by the lack of communication. He adds they are working with DPW to secure the tsunami alert systems and have them in place by this summer.