New announcement system to be used in earthquake drill

ANKARA

With a system to be applied for the first time, warnings will be made from national broadcaster TRT’s television and radio channels in “the drop-cover-hold on” earthquake exercise held simultaneously in 81 provinces of Türkiye and Turkish Cyprus on Nov. 12 at 6.57 p.m., says the head of Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).

Yunus Sezer, the head of AFAD, stated that at the earthquake moment in the drill, “the drop-cover-hold on exercise is being carried out all over the country,” the warning will be sent to all citizens in both Turkish and English, providing information about the earthquake drill to be held throughout the country on the anniversary of the Düzce earthquake in 1999, one of the largest earthquakes in the country’s history.

All television and radio channels affiliated to TRT will simultaneously issue announcements to warn people of the earthquake drill, which will be used for the first time in the country, Sezer noted.

“We will not use defense warning and emergency vehicle sirens in order not to encounter any negative situations and to not cause panic,” Sezer added.

Before the exercise, an informational message will reach the citizens from the information retrieval and dissemination system and vital warning notification system, he stated.

A voice notification will be made from the announcement systems of the municipalities and mosques connected to the central prayer’s call system.

Public spots will be broadcast through social media and television channels to increase awareness throughout the week, he said.

The subject of disasters will be included in the Friday sermon on Nov. 11, a day before our exercise, and the drill will be announced by the Religious Affairs Presidency.

“Following the termination of our exercise, prayers will be held in 81 provinces and Turkish Cyprus for our citizens who lost their lives both in the Düzce earthquake and in all disasters that occurred in our country,” Sezer pointed out.