Anguilla will join other localities in the Caribbean as a participant in a tsunami response exercise on March 15, 2018. The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate local tsunami response plans, increase tsunami preparedness, and improve coordination throughout the region.
We have been reminded in recent times with examples such as the 2017 Christmas Eve tremor and other earthquakes experienced in the region and across the world of the urgent need to be more prepared for earthquake and tsunami events. “This important exercise will test the Anguilla Warning System and our Tsunami warning protocol as well as test and evaluate community preparedness for such an event.” Susan Hodge Programme Officer in the Department of Disaster Management who is this year’s exercise coordinator stated.
The exercise, titled CARIBE WAVE 18, will simulate a widespread Tsunami Warning and Watch situation throughout the Caribbean, which requires implementation of local tsunami response plans. An activation of the National Emergency Operations Centre and its component parts through a Table-Top Exercise, is planned concurrent with an evacuation exercise for the Primary Schools.
The Barbados Earthquake Scenario has been chosen for Anguilla and will simulate a major earthquake and tsunami generated by a magnitude 8.6 earthquake with epicenter at 12.20º, -58.30º occurring on Thursday March 15, 2018 at 1400 UTC or 10:00am local time.
Anguilla has been participating in this regional exercise since 2010 and it is a requirement of the TsunamiReady status conferred on Anguilla in 2012. Last year’s exercise included 32 nations and 15 territories with a total of 679,985 people engaged.
If any real tsunami threat occurs during the time period of the exercise, the exercise will be terminated.
The regional exercise is sponsored by the UNESCO/IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS), the Caribbean Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de los Desastres Naturales en América Central (CEPREDENAC), and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The local exercise is being sponsored by the Department of Disaster Management.
Residents are encouraged to sign up to participate by registering through http://tsunamizone.org/caribbean. Under the ‘Caribbean Zone Region’ Tab, participants will be able to sign up under one of the following community categories: individuals, businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, community groups, government agencies, individuals.
For assistance or further information regarding the CaribeWave 2018 exercise, please contact Susan Hodge at the Department of Disaster Management on 497-2926 or 584-2710
Department of Disaster Management
5 March 2018
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
