Tilting at windmills.

Many people in Wollongong will be surprised to learn that the State Emergency Service is preparing an evacuation plan in the event of a Tsunami.

We have not experienced a Tsunami of any consequence since the arrival of the first fleet in 1788, but scientists have found evidence of earlier inundation. The scenario the SES is working on involves a major earthquake off the south island of New Zealand, generating a Tsunami with a six metre wall of water intruding a kilometre inland - giving a warning time of about two hours.

If such an event happened, major damage and loss of life would occur at Woonona, Bellambi, Corrimal, Towradgi, Fairy Meadow, Wollongong and Port Kembla.

This whole exercise is rather fanciful. A Tsunami may range from a few inches of water higher than usual on a beach - to a major, catastrophic wall of water that roars inland and reaches the escarpment.

Wollongong - walled in by the escarpment and with just two escape routes - Bulli Pass and Mount Ousley road - could not possibly handle an evacuation even if given much more than two hours notice.

Just thinking about it is mind boggling. Suppose the Tsunami centre sounded the alert at three in the morning ? Who would take that alert ? Probably the police - but how would they alert the citizens ? Most would be asleep in bed - with TV and radios turned off !

This sounds like something dreamed up by the public relations side of government - to give the impression that they are alert and on the ball - and are doing something for our safety.

In reality - there can be no defence against a major Tsunami - but probably it may be possible to alert residents in beachside suburbs to move to higher ground in the event of a six metre event - provided we are prepared to spend millions of dollars.

We would need to return to the days of the second world war and install air raid sirens in all suburbs fronting beaches. In the event of a night time Tsunami warning these sirens would awaken residents - and a publicity campaign would condition them to turn on TV or radio to be advised of the threat and given evacuation instructions.

Of course that is not going to happen. We will not spend any money and the evacuation plan will be a quaint document that will rest undisturbed in some minister's office.

But - the government will be able to claim that it is " alert and functional " in addressing our needs !