CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS – JANUARY 7, 2026 — The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC) has announced CARIBE WAVE 26, the annual regional tsunami exercise, to be held across the Caribbean and adjacent regions on March 19, 2026, at 15:00 UTC. The exercise aims to strengthen tsunami preparedness, early warning systems, and coastal hazard resilience in the region.
CARIBE WAVE is coordinated by the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS). Since its establishment, the exercise has provided a platform for Member States to test communication systems, validate national response procedures, and enhance readiness at all levels of government and community response.
Exercise Scenarios
Participating countries will select one of two hypothetical tsunami scenarios:
- A magnitude 7.6 earthquake along the Swan Island Fault affected the Cayman Islands region.
- A flank landslide at the Kick-‘em-Jenny submarine volcano is generating a tsunami threat.
Each Member State must indicate its chosen scenario through the official survey by March 6, 2026.CL-3065_eo (1)
Exercise Objectives
CARIBE WAVE 26 has three primary objectives:
- To exercise and evaluate communications between Regional Tsunami Service Providers and Member States/Territories.
- To assess tsunami response procedures and programmes within participating countries.
- To evaluate volcanic-related tsunami products.
Regular exercises like this are essential to maintaining emergency readiness and directly support the UN Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme, which aims to ensure all at-risk communities are prepared and resilient to tsunamis, while advancing the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme. On March 19, 2026, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) and the Central America Tsunami Advisory Center (CATAC) will issue an initial dummy message via standard broadcast channels to launch the exercise. Simulated tsunami products will then be distributed to officially designated Tsunami Warning Focal Points and National Tsunami Warning Centres, who will determine national dissemination actions based on their selected scenario.
Regional and International Support
The exercise framework is supported by UNESCO-IOC, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and regional emergency management partners, including CEPREDENAC, CDEMA, and EMIZA. The initiative enables emergency services in the Caribbean to test and update tsunami response plans together.
Participation and Resources
Organisations and individuals can register through the Tsunami Zone platform. Nearly 500,000 participants registered in the previous exercise, reflecting the growing regional commitment to tsunami safety. A participant handbook and additional materials will be available at caribewave.org. Multilingual orientation webinars are scheduled for January and February 2026 to guide participants.
CARIBE WAVE 26 underscores the region’s collective commitment to safeguarding lives, strengthening early warning systems, and building a culture of preparedness against tsunamis and coastal hazards.