Caribbean

2017-01-06T01:06:24+00:00

CARIBE WAVE Exercise

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 CARIBE WAVE is an annual tsunami exercise conducted by the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG CARIBE-EWS) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This exercise is coordinated with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Caribbean regional emergency management stakeholders: CEPREDENAC [Coordination Centre for the Prevention of the Natural Disasters in Central America], CDEMA [Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency], and EMIZA [French Inter-Ministerial for the Antilles Estate Major Zone]. Historical and recent tsunamis have determined the high levels of vulnerability and risk to life and livelihoods from tsunamis along the coasts of the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions. The exercises provide a strong incentive for countries and local jurisdictions to prepare for a tsunami and participate in this exercise. Since 2011, the CARIBE WAVE exercise has generated hypothetical tsunami scenarios to evaluate tsunami response and preparedness of the forty-eight countries and territories in the Caribbean. Communications between the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), the Tsunami Warning Focal Points (TWFPs), and the National Tsunami Warning Centers (NTWC) are also tested during the exercise. Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in the annual exercise over the past decade helping to maintain and strengthen the awareness and readiness for this infrequent but potentially very high impact event in the Caribbean.

CARIBE WAVE Exercises. (From top left to right: Mexico [2021], Nicaragua [2020], Martinique [2019], Barbados [2020], Anguilla [2021], Venezuela [2021], Colombia [2020], and Antigua and Barbuda [2022].)

Energy plot map of CW exercises and their respective scenario’s location from 2011 to 2023 generated using the Real-time Inundation Forecast of Tsunamis forecast model (Soto et al, 2023).

Date of Exercise	Scenarios	Parameters	Epicenter
2024, March 21	Puerto Rico Trench	Mw 8.7	19.25°N, 66.50°W
2024, March 21	Panama	Mw 8.47	9.80°N, 77.75°W
2023, March 23	Gulf of Honduras	Mw 7.6	16.1°N, 87.5°W
2023, March 23	Mount Pelée	Volcano	14.4°N, 61.1°W
2022, March 10	Western Muertos Trough	Mw 8.0	17.5°N, 69.5°W
2022, March 10	Northern Panama	Mw 8.3	9.3°N, 80.3°W
2021, March 11	Jamaica	Mw 8.0	18.2°N, 75.3°W
2021, March 11	Northern Lesser Antilles	Mw 8.5	18.9°N, 62.4°W
2020, March 19	Jamaica	Mw 8.0	18.2°N, 75.3°W
2020, March 19	Portugal	Mw 8.5	36.0°N, 10.7°W
2019, March 14	Panama	Mw 8.5	10.0°N, 78.5°W
2019, March 14	Kick Em’ Jenny	Mw 6.0	12.3°N, 61.5°W
2018, March 15	Barbados	Mw 8.6	12.2°N, 58.3°W
	Colombia	Mw 8.1	11.5°N, 74.8°W
	Puerto Rico	Mw 7.6	18.3°N, 67.8°W
2017, March 21	Costa Rica	Mw 7.9	9.3°N, 82.5°W
	Cuba	Mw 8.2	19.6°N, 76.3°W
	Northeastern Lesser Antilles	Mw 8.5	16.9°N, 60.6°W
2016, March 17	Venezuela	Mw 8.4	10.8°N, 66.0°W
2016, March 17	Northern Hispaniola	Mw 8.7	20.2°N, 71.7°W
2015, March 23	Panama Caribbean	Mw 8.5	10.3°N, 78.8°W
2015, March 23	Florida	Mw 6.8	28.8°N, 77.0°W
2014, March 26	Portugal	Mw 8.5	36.0°N, 10.7°W
2013, March 20	Aruba	Mw 8.5	13.3°N, 69.9°W
2011, March 23	Puerto Rico	Mw 7.6	18.2°N, 65.2°W

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