Emergencies Ministry Major Exercises In Far East

Tuesday the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations' rescue units started large-scale exercises in the Far East to upgrade skills and coordination in conditions of simulated destructive earthquake. The exercises plan includes, in particular, evacuation of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky's inhabitants to Vladivostok by ships, and delivery of humanitarian aid cargos from Magadan to Kamchatka by planes. According to the exercises plan, the air bridge connects Magadan with Kamchatka's minor airports, thus simulating the situation of complete destruction of the main Kamchatka airport's runway following the earthquake. Similar tasks are assigned to the Ministry of Emergency Situations' rescue services in the Khabarovsk Territory, Sakhalin and Magadan Regions. Owing to increasing seismic activity, frequent heavy fires, and avalanches similar exercises of rescue teams in Sakhalin, Kamchatka, and other regions of the Russian Far East will be conducted on a regular basis.