The DMC said the program was conducted coinciding with the International Day for Disaster Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) provided the guidance and technical coordination.

The DMC conducted this rehearsal as a Table Top Exercise on the Meteorological Department focusing on the Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Kalutara and Hambantota districts.

There was no public participation in the Exercise which was technically linked by the IOTWS and the program examined the pre-assessment mechanism up to the district level, the DMC confirmed.

According to the DMC, the intended objectives of the program include testing the effectiveness of early warning systems, training to identify the strategies for the future and to avoid existing shortcomings, identifying more effective and appropriate communication strategies for early warning and testing standard operating procedures from the national level to the district level.