Over 400.000 people test tsunami warning and preparedness protocols in the Caribbean

Over 400,000 citizens, experts and government officials took part on March 11th, 2022, in a tsunami response exercise across 32 Caribbean countries and 16 territories. The exercise sought to evaluate national and local tsunami response plans, increase tsunami preparedness, and improve coordination throughout the region.  This exercise included two simulated scenarios of an earthquake occurrence in the Western Muertos Trough, South of Dominican Republic and Panama. Titled CARIBE WAVE 22, the exercise simulated a widespread Tsunami Threat situation throughout the Caribbean, which required implementation of national and local tsunami response plans. 

The exercise included public notification through sirens, emails, emergency alert systems, text messages, media outlets, radio, and social media. The total number of registered participants reached a historical record for CARIBE WAVE exercises at 406,069 people mobilized across the region, as recorded by the TsunamiZone platform. In addition to the communication tests, in different countries and communities the exercise took various forms including seminars, table top exercises, video/web conferencing, drills and rehearsals.

CARIBE WAVE 22 participants followed a handbook which described the scenarios and contained tsunami messages from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC).  The PTWC is the Regional Tsunami Service Provider for countries in the Caribbean Sea and Adjacent Regions.

The exercise was sponsored by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC), through its Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS). Other sponsors include the Caribbean Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de los Desastres Naturales en América Central (CEPREDENAC), EMIZ Antilles and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Participation in regular national and regional tsunami response exercises such as CARIBE WAVE 22 is an important element in ensuring tsunami preparedness.