PHNOM PENH: As Typhoon Wipha continues to batter parts of Southeast Asia, ASEAN disaster officials launched a regional simulation exercise on Monday to strengthen emergency response protocols and coordination.
The ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX-25), which runs from July 21 to 24, is being held at the Royal Cambodian Army’s Special Forces Command Headquarters in Kandal province.
The biennial drill aims to test the bloc’s preparedness through real-time simulations of natural disasters, including search and rescue operations, impact assessments, and coordinated response mechanisms.
Organised by Cambodia’s National Committee on Disaster Management (NCDM) and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance, this year’s exercise comes as Wipha makes landfall in the Philippines and northern Vietnam, damaging homes and triggering evacuations.
Outside ASEAN, the typhoon has also brought torrential rain and flight disruptions to China, Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong, where a level 10 storm warning was issued over the weekend.
The NCDM said ARDEX-25 includes both strategic and tactical components. Strategically, it focuses on reviewing SOPs and strengthening information-sharing systems across member states. Tactically, it tests on-the-ground response capabilities and cross-border coordination to save lives in future disasters. – BERNAMA
