Islam Times - Israel holds massive disaster stimulation drill

Islam Times - Israel has launched a massive earthquake and tsunami drill in Kibbutz Palmachim, simulating the effects of a large natural disaster.

The five-day drill, entitled “Turning Point 6”, was launched on Sunday and included stimulation of two earthquakes measuring 5.4 and 7.4 on the Richter scale as well as a 15-meter high tsunami wave.

Some 600 volunteers, 80 divers, 25 boats, 15 dog handlers and 30 vehicles were involved in the drill which was launched at 11:00 a.m. Sunday.

Citizens were asked to leave their homes and workplaces during the simulated earthquake.

The disaster stimulation drill comes a few months after another massive emergency exercise was held in the central Tel Aviv.

The drills started on August 30 at Tel Aviv’s Weizmann Center, which contains a shopping mall, medical clinics, restaurants and office buildings.

The operation practiced a large-scale evacuation after a simulated fire breakout on the 11th floor of a central office building, and involved all emergency services in Tel Aviv.

The exercise was timed to coincide with the morning rush hour to fully simulate a possible attack at a busy time of the day.