Morocco Joins International Tsunami Drill as Part of Coastal Preparedness Efforts

After the 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2021 editions, countries around the North-East Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas (known as the NEAM region), including Morocco, highly exposed to tsunamis due to its geographical position, are gearing up for NEAMWave 23. This communication and tsunami response test exercise, scheduled for November 6 and 7, 2023, will take place during the celebration of the World Tsunami Awareness Day on November 5, reports Le Desk. The objective is to help countries assess their state of preparedness and raise awareness of the tsunami risk in the region. It is also a question of evaluating local tsunami response plans, improving preparedness and strengthening coordination between the participating countries.

Thus, simulations of tsunamis generated by earthquakes followed by the dissemination of messages by tsunami service providers (TSPs), organizations or entities responsible for providing accurate and timely information on tsunamis in the NEAM region, but also response actions, involving tsunami warning focal points (TWFP), national tsunami warning centers (NTWC) and civil protection authorities, are planned. In detail, orientation and exercise sessions, table-top exercises, functional exercises and even large-scale exercises with actual evacuation exercises, particularly with the participation of schools, will be organized as part of NEAMWave 23.

Two joint scenarios are envisaged. One will take place in the North-East Atlantic, while the other will take place in the Mediterranean. It will be a question of testing the capabilities of the accredited Tsunami Service Providers (TSPs) in the NEAM region. The tsunami exercise messages for these scenarios will be disseminated on Monday and Tuesday, November 6 and 7, 2023, it is specified. The particularity of this year’s edition is the inclusion of communities - in Morocco (El Jadida), Cyprus (Larnaka), Egypt (Alexandria), Malta (Marsaxlokk), Greece (Samos), Spain (Chipiona), Turkey (Büyükçekmece), France (Cannes) and Italy (Minturno, Palmi and Marzamemi) - actively working to become "Tsunami Ready," an international certification based on 12-step indicators, provided by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to strengthen the ability of communities to prepare for tsunamis.