The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC), through the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS), will conduct the regional tsunami exercise CARIBE WAVE 26 on 19 March 2026 at 15:00 UTC across the Caribbean and adjacent regions.

CARIBE WAVE is an annual regional exercise designed to strengthen tsunami preparedness, inter-institutional coordination, and operational readiness among Member States and territories. The exercise provides an opportunity to systematically evaluate tsunami early warning systems and national response mechanisms under simulated conditions.

The objectives of CARIBE WAVE 26 include evaluating:

• Tsunami warning communications between Regional Tsunami Service Providers and Member States and territories;

• National tsunami response procedures and plans;

• Products related to volcanic hazards, within the framework of the selected scenarios.

For this edition, Member States are requested to select one of two hypothetical scenarios:

• A tsunami generated by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake along the Swan Island Fault;

• A tsunami generated by a flank landslide of the Kick-’em-Jenny submarine volcano.

Scenario selection must be completed by 6 March 2026. If no selection is received, a scenario will be assigned by the exercise organizers.

CARIBE WAVE 26 contributes directly to the objectives of the UN Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme, which aims to ensure that communities at risk from tsunamis are prepared and resilient. The exercise also supports the implementation of the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Programme, promoting strengthened preparedness at national and community levels.

Further information on the exercise, registration procedures, and supporting materials is available at:
www.caribewave.org