The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) will conduct its annual ‘Caribe Wave Tsunami Awareness’ exercise at 11 a.m., Thursday, March 16. This will include the monthly testing of the territory’s tsunami warning system in the form of a 60-second tone. The tone is scheduled to sound on St Croix at 11 a.m., and in the St. Thomas/St John/Water Island District at 11:15 a.m.
Residents and visitors to the territory will be alerted of the test using two warning systems. Subscribers to the AlertVI system will be notified of the event via email, text and/or phone, depending on the preferred method they have selected. VITEMA will also be synchronizing its monthly testing of the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) which will consist of a series of tones and a standardized message via cellular phone stating this is a TEST only.
Tsunamis are enormous waves caused by an underground disturbance such as an earthquake. The U. S. Virgin Islands, along with the rest of the Caribbean, is considered a region with high levels of vulnerability and threat from tsunamis.
Exercise participants are encouraged to drop, cover, and hold on for 60 seconds when the test begins, then to practice proceeding inland or to higher ground. Know your zone. Families, businesses, schools, agencies, faith[1]based organizations and more are all encouraged to participate. To register please visit www.tsunamizone.org/register today.
For more information, contact Alanna John, Emergency Outreach coordinator at alanna.john@vitema.vi.gov or at 774-2244.
For all additional emergency preparedness information, go to www.vitema.vi.gov. Â Register today for ALERT VI and stay informed.
Be Prepared-Stay Informed-Be Vigilant: 773-2244 St. Croix/ 774-2244 St. Thomas/ 776-2244 St. John.
