A ?complete breakdown of communication? from Police was at the centre of the tsunami false alarm which spread panic across the West End of Bermuda, Public Safety Minister Senator David Burch has announced.

Staff on duty at the time of the incident, on December 9 last year, have now been reassigned to other parts of Bermuda Police Service, Minister Burch revealed yesterday.

Sen. Burch confirmed he had completed his post mortem into how rumours of a tidal wave sparked a chaotic evacuation of Dockyard and Somerset residents ? even though weathermen later revealed there had been nothing to worry about all along.

Revealing his findings, Sen. Burch said that chief among his concerns was the collapse in communications and a lack of adherence to procedures by officers on duty at Police Operations (COMOPS).

He said COMOPS staff failed to make contact with the Bermuda Weather Service or Bermuda Radio as soon as they received information about the alleged tsunami.

An incident log should have been initiated but was not, he added, and a senior officer on duty should have been informed but was not.

Further, even after it was confirmed the rumour was a false alarm, COMOPS officers failed to immediately carry out an order to stand down.

?There was a significant degree of confusion due to this incident, which resulted in a considerable amount of panic throughout the community,? said Sen. Burch.

?A critical misstep in the process was the failure to verify the authenticity of the initial report by the officers on duty through the Bermuda Weather Service ? the only agency in Bermuda that monitors natural phenomena of this type.

?Secondly, the standard emergency protocols and procedures, contained in binders held at COMOPS, in the event of a major incident, were not followed.

?And finally, once the false alarm confirmation was received and the order given to stand down, the officers on duty at COMOPS did not immediately carry out the order.?

Sen. Burch added that on duty staff at COMOPS have unfettered access to the policy manuals containing the procedures to be followed in cases of major incidents, which include natural and unnatural disasters.

He said a string of new recommendations have since been adopted.

These include additional major incident training for all COMOPS staff, including mock exercises.

Clear guidelines are also being reiterated to COMOPS staff regarding the correct procedures to be followed during such incidents.

On December 9, Police evacuated people after receiving a flurry of calls from worried members of the public about large waves breaking on the northern reef line.

Bermuda Weather Service later said the dramatic horizon was simply the result of previously stormy weather and an exceptionally clear day.

Sen. Burch added: ?What we have since learned from the experts at the Bermuda Weather Service is that the apparent cause for concern was a combination of atmospheric and oceanic conditions which, to the untrained eye, made the waves breaking on the reef to the north and west appear to be considerably larger than they were.

?These conditions do occur from time to time in weather patterns this time of year and are not uncommon.?

Dr. Mark Guishard, Director of the Bermuda Weather Service, said 18 to 24 foot waves often break on the north shore during and after strong northerly winds in the winter.

He added that it was apparent that this phenomenon was misinterpreted by a member of the public as one large wave approaching the Island.

Sen. Burch carried out the review in conjunction with the Executive of the Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO)

The Minister said he believed no useful purpose would be served by releasing the full report.