Crete's authorities, population taking part in largest Greek earthquake exercise; to serve as model
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
The last phase of a large-scale exercise on seismic and related activities called 'Minoas 2024' will start on Monday on Crete, and run to Wednesday.
It will include all four regions of Crete and be run by the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry, with the Earthquake Planning & Protection Organization (OASP) and the Region of Crete. It will serve as a model for other exercises in Greek regions to prepare for an earthquake and its aftermath, directing residents to safety, OASP president Efthymis Lekkas told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).
The model foresees a 6.4 earthquake (Richter scale) in Chania. In 24 hours, it foresees another one, registering 7.2 on the Richter scale, in Heraklio and Lassithi. Involved in the exercise are nearly 100,000 residents of Crete; nearly 60,000-70,000 of them are school children. All schools on Crete will participate, and the exercise will include evacuations from large hotels, public buildings, private enterprises, and settlements, Lekkas said. It will involve over 60 agencies at all levels, as well as utilities representatives, local government, archaeologists, and port and tourism officials. The seismology professor noted that nearly 75 incidents have been scheduled.
112 messages
The Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry announced on Saturday that the exercise will also test the emergency alert cellphone system (112), with three messages sent to residents and visitors alike. The first 112 civil protection alert will be issued on Monday morning and two on Tuesday. All text messages will begin with the words "Exercise-Exercise-Exercise" in Greek and English, and will end the same way, to prevent confusion.
Minister Vassilis Kikilias will be present at the headquarters, the Heraklio Cultural Congress Center, when the exercise begins at 11:30 am on Monday.
