CARIBE WAVE 2023 Exercise in the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions

The majority of the participants from across the region were from K-12 Schools. In addition, state government, universities and emergency and preparedness organizations also had high levels of participation. This year’s exercise was also marked by an increase of people with disabilities participating, thus providing an opportunity to test applicability of preparedness measures to more parts of the community. During the CARIBE WAVE Exercise, full-scale drills, seminars, and communication tests were some of the many activities that were organized.

Two hypothetical scenarios were simulated for CARIBE WAVE 23 which were a tsunami generated by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake located in the Gulf of Honduras and a tsunami generated by a flank collapse in Mount Pelée volcano, Martinique. The volcanic scenario was used to test experimental procedures and products for a tsunami generated by volcanic activity. Each of the 48 Member States and Territories were invited to choose between the two scenarios and decide the level of participation and activity for their country in advance of the Exercise. Informational webinars were also provided in English and Spanish prior to CARIBE WAVE 23 to provide useful information for conducting the Exercise.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), the regional Tsunami Service Provider (TSP), and the Central American Tsunami Advisory Center (CATAC), a proposed TSP, issued a “Dummy” message at 1400 UTC through the different warning systems to start the exercise and test communications with the Tsunami Warning Focal Points (TWFPs) and the National Tsunami Information Centres (NTWCs). As of 1407 UTC, the PTWC and CATAC issued through email the simulated tsunami products to officially designated TWFPs and NTWCs based on the two hypothetical scenarios. Each country then decided if and how to disseminate messages in its area of responsibility. 

The CARIBE WAVE exercise is an annual activity which is organized within the framework of the IOC-UNESCO Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS). Its CARIBE WAVE Task Team, through the NOAA International Tsunami Information Center Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR) with the support of the Caribbean Tsunami Information Center (CTIC) and the PTWC coordinates this annual tsunami exercise. The CARIBE WAVE Exercises are a long-standing activity in the region, which provides essential testing of preparedness for countries and communities.

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