The tsunami mock drill took place at Congo Mosque Beach in Kwale County.
Disaster officials call for regular drills in schools, tourism establishments and fishing communities, alongside clear evacuation routes and safe assembly points.
The National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) has urged Kenya’s six coastal counties to strengthen tsunami preparedness through regular local drills. The centre wants schools, tourism establishments and fishing communities to practise responding to warnings and reaching safe areas.
NDOC Director David Samoei made the call during a tsunami mock drill at Congo Mosque Beach in Kwale County. He urged communities to take an active role in disaster readiness rather than rely solely on government warnings.
Samoei also called on county governments to commit more resources to preparedness and update emergency contact directories. Counties should establish clear evacuation routes and assembly points so residents know where to go during emergencies.
Making tsunami preparedness part of routine safety
Samoei said preparedness should extend beyond the national exercises, which take place every two years. Instead, communities and institutions should make drills part of their routine safety programmes.
He described communities as the first line of defence in disaster preparedness and response. He therefore urged Beach Management Units, fisherfolk, beach operators, tourism establishments, schools and local leaders to participate actively.
The exercises test tsunami warning and communication systems while assessing evacuation procedures and identifying weaknesses in emergency response. Communities also need the knowledge and skills to act quickly when warnings arrive, identify evacuation routes and reach designated safe zones.
Kwale lessons to guide coastal planning
Lessons from the Kwale exercise will inform the county’s Tsunami Preparedness and Response Action Plan, Samoei said. Findings will also go to other coastal counties to support their own preparedness efforts.
The initiative aims to strengthen readiness in Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu, as well as Tana River and Taita Taveta. Together with Kwale, these are the six counties covered by the call for stronger preparedness.
Meanwhile, the Kwale drill brought together national and county government agencies, security teams and the Kenya Red Cross Society. The Kenya Meteorological Department and other development partners also took part in the exercise.
