From Hazard Management Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands will join other Countries in the Caribbean as a participant in a tsunami response exercise on March 20, 2013. The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate local tsunami response plans, increase tsunami preparedness, and improve coordination throughout the Caribbean region and northern Western Atlantic.

The exercise has been modeled by NOAA NWS Caribbean Tsunami Warning programme, and is titled CARIBE WAVE/LANTEX 13. The exercise simulates a tsunami generated by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake occurring 57 miles north of Oranjestad, Aruba, in the Caribbean Sea. As a result, a widespread Tsunami Watch situation occurs throughout the Caribbean which requires implementation of local tsunami response plans.

According to HMCI Director, McCleary Frederick, “The exercise provides us with a useful opportunity to test the current procedures of the regional Tsunami Warning System, the National Tsunami Plan and to look at our own communications protocol in the event that a tsunami wave is threatening the Cayman Islands. It also provides us with an opportunity to network and build relationships with other countries in the region”

A number of local agencies will be participating in the exercise including Hazard Management Cayman Islands, Emergency Communications 911, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Cayman Islands National Weather Service and Government Information Services.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal

*       Review and enhance the existing National Tsunami Plan

Objectives

*       Apply and review notification procedure outlined in Tsunami Plan

*       Evaluate the use of the local Warning Phases for alerting the public and response services

*       Review, amend and develop, where applicable, response actions for the different response phase.

*       Assign agencies to the response actions listed in the Tsunami Plan

*       Activate NEOC for tsunami response.  Evaluate the ability of responders to report to the NEOC in a timely fashion.

*       Complete evaluation form for Caribe Wave 2013

*       Evaluate notification procedures for a tsunami alert from PTWC – review of local equipment and capabilities. (EMWIN)

*       Evaluate the need for a feedback mechanism from the notification process. (Due to the peculiarity of the incident)

*       Identify long, medium and short issues for tsunami preparedness and response planning.

*       Review media templates in plan to be used for expediting media releases and public warning in the event of a tsunami

Historical tsunami records from sources such as the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show that over 75 tsunamis have been observed in the Caribbean over the past 500 years.

Earthquake, landslide, and volcanic tsunami sources have all impacted the region. Since 1842, at least 3,510 people have lost their lives because of tsunamis in the Caribbean. In recent years, there has been an explosive population growth and influx of tourists along the Caribbean and Western Atlantic coasts increasing the tsunami vulnerability of the region.

With nearly 160 million people (Caribbean, Central America and Northern South America) now living in this tourist region and a major earthquake occurring about every 50 years, the question is not if another major tsunami will happen but when it happens, will the region be prepared for the tsunami impact? The risks of major earthquakes in the Caribbean and the possibility of a resulting tsunami are real and should be taken seriously.

For more information on the ICG/CARIBE-EWS, see http://www.ioc-tsunami.org

From Simon Boxall, Hazard Management on the role of the media

The role of the media in a tsunami (in terms of public notification) cannot be understated. We are hoping to get a better sense of the local media’s capacities / limitations during the Tsunami exercise on March 20th. In particular we would like to know:

Once you receive the notification of an approaching tsunami from the Cayman Islands tsunami warning focal point – How quickly can you get the tsunami warning notifications out to the public, and in what formats during?:

A)        Normal working hours

B)        Outside regular office hours (early morning and nights etc.)

C)        On weekends

D)        Public Holidays

We do not need this information now, but hopefully all local media houses will participate in the tsunami exercise and we look forward to receiving your feedback (most specifically about your possible role and capacity in public notification, during an approaching tsunami situation). Obviously in addition to providing a service to the public in terms of issuing of the tsunami warnings, you also need to consider protecting your own staff from the threat too, so that is something to bear in mind as well.