CRAWFORD, Texas, Aug 17: The Bush administration has approved plans aimed at speeding the evacuation of federal workers in the nation’s capital in the event of an attack using weapons of mass destruction, officials said on Saturday.

Under the plan the Office of Personnel Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the General Services Administration would have the authority to order an evacuation of up to 350,000 federal workers in the Washington, D.C., area and 1.8 million nationwide if an attack occurs or if one is deemed imminent.

Operation centres have been set up by the three agencies allowing around-the-clock communication with federal, state and local law enforcement. Should an evacuation be ordered, the agencies plan to notify federal workers through a system of bulletins in 15 minutes or less, officials said.—Reuters