A number of CDEMA's Participating States are participating in today's CARIB WAVE 17 Caribbean Tsunami Exercise.
The exercise will simulate a major earthquake and tsunami generated by a hypothetical magnitude 7.9 earthquake located off the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, a Magnitude 8.2 earthquake located along the southeastern coast of Cuba and a Magnitude 8.5 earthquake along the Northern Lesser Antilles. National Disaster Offices throughout CDEMA's Participating States will undertake various activities ranging from table top, simple orientation to full scale exercises. The purpose of the #CARIBWAVE17 exercise is to evaluate local tsunami response plans, increase tsunami preparedness, and improve coordination throughout the region.
Figure 1: CARIBE WAVE 17 scenario map indicating epicentres
Objectives
The following are the exercise’s overarching objectives:
i. To exercise and evaluate operations of the CARIBE EWS Tsunami Warning System.
a) Validate the issuance of tsunami products from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC)
b) Validate the receipt of tsunami products by CARIBE EWS Tsunami Warning Focal Points (TWFPs) and/ or National Tsunami Warning Centers (NTWCs).
ii.) To evaluate the use of PTWC CARIBE EWS products.
iii.) To validate the readiness to respond to a tsunami.
a) Validate the operational readiness of the TWFPs/ NTWCs and/or the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)
b) To improve operational readiness by ensuring that appropriate tools and response plan(s) have been developed prior to the exercise, including public education materials.
c) Validate that the dissemination of warnings and information/ advice by TWFPs, and NTWCs, to relevant in-country agencies and the public is accurate and timely.
d) Validate the organizational decision-making process (tsunami response plans) about public warnings and evacuations.
e) Validate that the methods used to notify and instruct the public are accurate and timely.
f) Evaluate the status of the implementation of “Tsunami Ready” recognition programme.
Expected Outcome
National Disaster Offices are expected to test various components of their National Disaster Plans and Tsunami Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Annex. The recommendations and lessons learned will be used to inform the review of their National Disaster Plan and Tsunami SOP.