Local Communities encouraged to participate in Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning simulation exercises

The Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean & Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE EWS) of the United National Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and a number of registered participating countries, will be conducting a Tsunami exercise on Thursday March 17, 2016.
 
The purpose of this exercise is to advance Tsunami preparedness efforts in the Caribbean and Adjacent regions, based on Venezuela and Northern Hispaniola scenarios.
 
Although Dominica as a country has not officially registered to participate in this year's simulation exercise, some community organisations and schools in the north of the island will participate at a localized level.
 
The exercise will be coordinated locally by Dominica Public Seismic Network Inc, an NGO which has been working closely with communities to build resilience to earthquake, volcanic and tsunami hazards.
 
Each participating organization will receive simulated warnings based on the messages received from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC), and will activate their own Tsunami emergency response plans.
 
It is anticipated that this year's community participation in this exercise will encourage other communities and groups to engage in similar events in the future, which hopefully will include a national response encompassing Public & Private sectors, as well as civil society.