Several disaster management groups in Anguilla tested the island’s tsunami readiness, as precautions against such a catastrophic event continue to be taken across the region.
The exercise was conducted at the Emergency Centre at Police Headquarters, on Wednesday March 26, where the breakout groups performed their diligent rehearsals and discussions.
The simulated event was aimed at evaluating and improving the effectiveness of tsunami early warning and operational lines of communications, reviewing response procedures and promoting tsunami preparedness.
Titled Carib Wave/Lantex 14, the exercise simulated a widespread tsunami event throughout the Caribbean and the North-western Atlantic. It was based on the assumption that there was a need to implement local tsunami response plans in Anguilla as well as the rest of the Caribbean.
The Anguilla National Disaster Management Committee and a number of local agencies participated in the exercise. It was initiated by a dummy message issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre and the West Coast and Alaska Warning Centre and disseminated over standard broadcast channels to stakeholders and focal points including Anguilla.
The scenario was based on the historical Great Lisbon Earthquake and Tsunami event that impacted the Caribbean in 1755. It portrayed an 8.5 earthquake located approximately 270 kilometres off Portugal.
Mr Stanley Reid, Anguilla’s Deputy Governor, responsible for disaster management, told The Anguillian that the exercise looked at issues of evacuation, implications for vulnerable persons, including tourists, management of the assembly points and how the emergency services would cope with the situation. He explained that there were various working groups such as the Emergency Management Group and the Disaster Executive Group which included the Governor and the Chief Minister.
The exercise commenced at 7.00 am and ended at about 12.30 noon. Mr Reid commented that the many persons involved in the exercise were very responsive to the serious nature of the simulated event and the discussions.
