March is Coastal Hazards & Earthquake Smart Month

Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 1, marks the start of Coastal Hazards and Earthquake Smart Month, and it will be observed under the theme: Coastal Resilience.

This year’s activities will kick off with a public service announcement campaign across all media outlets about the different coastal hazards, tsunamis, and earthquakes.

Then, on Friday, March 4, the public is invited to take part in National Earthquake Preparedness Day, from 10:00 a.m. This activity is designed to increase earthquake awareness among residents, and test earthquake procedures across the country.

To take part in this activity, persons are encouraged to activate an alert to signal an earthquake simulation at 10:00 a.m.  This may be done by setting off alarms or bells.

At this time, persons are expected to carry out their respective earthquake drill by practising the Drop, Cover and Hold procedure, and record video footage to social media, tagging the DEM.

On Thursday, March 10, the annual Caribe Wave Exercise will kick off from 10:00 a.m. as Barbados’ revised national tsunami warning protocols and emergency services communication systems are tested on land and sea.

In addition, there will be an increase of tsunami and earthquake procedures in businesses and schools across Barbados, and an improved emergency coordination within the marine sector.

This year’s exercise will be based on a scenario where a tsunami is triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake along the Western Muertos Trough, and will take the form of a table top exercise and a scaled down evacuation drill, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The March Madness Game Show broadcast on the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation will air on Saturday, March 12, 19, and 26, at 8:00 p.m. The half-hour programme is designed to test persons’ knowledge of earthquake and tsunami hazards.

The game show will be held in three rounds – Round 1, Speed Round; Round 2, This or That, and Round 3, Scenarios. Members of the public are invited to get involved and learn more about the earthquake and tsunami hazards. (BGIS)