RESIDENTS of Mersing may hear a tsunami warning siren ringing out across the town on Friday (Oct 16) morning.
For coastal communities that remember the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, it is not a sound anyone takes lightly.
Is the tsunami siren in Mersing being tested today?
Verdict:
TRUE
The Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) is testing the tsunami warning siren at Menara Tanjung in Mersing, Johor, from 9am to 11am on Friday (Oct 16).
Residents in the surrounding area have been advised not to panic when they hear the siren as it is only a test, the department said in a Facebook post.
Mersing is the latest stop in a series of checks on the Malaysian Tsunami Early Warning System this month.
According to MetMalaysia notices, similar siren tests were carried out in Kuantan on Oct 6, Tumpat on Oct 7, Tioman Island on Oct 8 and Penang on Oct 13.
Many of the country's coastal sirens were installed after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami struck Penang and Kedah, as reported by The Star.
They are tested at least twice a year and give out a loud, low-pitched blare designed to carry over every other sound nearby.
When a siren sounds for real, it means a tsunami is on its way and people nearby should head as far inland as possible.
MetMalaysia announces upcoming siren tests on its official social media accounts, so residents can check there before reaching for their running shoes.
Sources:
3. https://thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/12/27/a-tall-reminder-of-the-2004-tsunami
