Throughout the morning today, we, along with other local news media outlets have been receiving a Tsunami Warning from Joint Communications Service.

Don’t be alarmed it was only an EXERCISE!

This is what we received:

Joint Communications Service
Tsunami Warning
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY!
No: 02
Issued at 9:50 am on 15 March, 2018

A tsunami warning is in for effect for all three Cayman Islands.

TSUNAMI ARRIVAL IS EXPECTED IN ONE HOUR IN THE SISTER ISLANDS, AND ONE HOUR AND TEN MINUTES IN GRAND CAYMAN

A tsunami warning has been issued by Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI) for the Cayman Islands following an 8.1 M earthquake off the Coast of Columbia

Residents of the Cayman Islands should immediately move inland, away from the shore and head for higher ground, if possible evacuate vertically to upper floors of strong buildings. All Boats and vessels close to the shore in shallow water should immediately head for deeper water offshore and stay tuned to VHF radio channel 16 for updates. All swimmers should evacuate the water immediately.
The size, location and magnitude of the earthquake means that there is likely to be inundation on our coast and additionally the tsunami waves may travel inland, although at this stage the extent of the inundation is unknown.

The first waves are expected to be less than three feet and reach the coast by approximately 10:52 am in the Sister Islands and 11:01 am in Grand Cayman.

The advisory will remain in effect until a Cancellation message is issued.

EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY!

Joint Communications Service Tsunami Warning
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY!
No: 1

Issued at 9:30 AM hours (Local Time) on 15 MARCH

The Cayman Islands is under a Tsunami Warning

Impact time of the first wave is 10:52 AM for Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and 11:01 AM for Grand Cayman.

Wave Height is expected to be less than three feet.
While the threat from this event is thought to be low, residents near the coastal areas should move inland, away from the shore and head for higher ground, if possible evacuate vertically to upper floors of strong buildings. Vessels along the coast should head out to sea to the safety of deep water.

The Impact time is in less than two hours for both the Sister Islands and for Grand Cayman.

A tsunami is a series of waves and the time between wave crests can vary from 5 minutes to an hour. The Hazard may persist for many hours or longer after the initial wave. You cannot out run a tsunami and it can travel far in land. Residents in low lying areas should seek higher ground.

Stay tuned to local media. The next update will be issued in 30 minutes or sooner if the situation warrants.
Residents are urged to stay calm and head inland and for higher ground. If possible stay tuned to local media for more information.

The advice contained in this press release will remain in effect until it is superseded by a local announcement or a cancellation message is issued.
Contact: Simon Boxall 926-2027 or [email protected]

Please use this exercise to consider how you / your organization might respond if this event was real. Agencies such as CIFS / RCIPS / CIAA / Port Authority of the Cayman Islands / Department of Tourism may wish to itemize their steps and procedures, refine response plans to a sudden incident, and document (on call) after hours call out processes. If you need HMCI to review these response plans please contact HMCI at 945-4624

EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY!

Joint Communications Service
Contact information: Simon Boxall 926-2027

TSUNAMI ALERT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
15 March 2018 / 9:05 am (Local Time)

EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY!

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
MAGNITUDE – 8.1
TIME – 9:00 (Local Time) 14:00:00 UTC, MAR 15 2018
LOCATION – 11.5 DEGREES NORTH 74.8 DEGREES WEST
LOCATION – COLUMBIA
DEPTH – 9 MILES (15 KM)

An earthquake has occurred that may have generated a tsunami. Local Residents are asked to monitor Radio Cayman and other sources of up to date information for further details about this event.

– IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS
WATCH IS BASED ONLY ON EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION ONLY. BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS, WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI WAVES ARE POSSIBLE.

The next local update will be issued in 30 minutes or sooner if the situation warrants.
§ www.caymanprepared.ky
§ Facebook: Caymanhazard
§ Twitter: @CINEOC
§ local media

This alert is issued by Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI)

Please use this exercise to consider how you / your organization might respond if this event was real. Agencies such as CIFS / RCIPS / CIAA / Port Authority of the Cayman Islands / Department of Tourism may wish to itemize their steps and procedures, refine response plans to a sudden incident, and document (on call) after hours call out processes. If you need HMCI to review these response plans please contact HMCI at [email protected] or 945-4624
(JCS)
EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY! EXERCISE ONLY!

It is excellent that these exercises are carried out. However, shouldn’t this be followed by actual drills?

If it was real, where would we go?

High places?

Evacuation.

There should be places earmarked in all areas of the Cayman Islands where, as soon as we get the TSUNAMI WARNING, we head for. Otherwise it will be chaos.

I strongly suggest that DRILLS must be incorporated in these Exercises.