By: Angel Santana, WP3GW

Amateur radio operators in Puerto Rico participated in the Caribe Wave 2025 Tsunami exercise on March 20.

The event is an annual tsunami exercise, designed to validate and advance tsunami preparedness efforts in the Caribbean and adjacent regions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Tsunami Information Center (CTIC) served as exercise coordinators.

In Puerto Rico, the exercise was coordinated by the Puerto Rico Seismic Network (PRSN) in conjunction with NOAA and the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau (PREMB). Prior to the event, a meeting was held between PRSN representatives, ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator Emmanuel Cruz, NP4D, and regional emergency coordinators to delineate a plan to disseminate all messages directly by PRSN personnel to the local amateur radio packet BBS systems and then retransmit them via voice on all radio services including GMRS, FRS, MURS, CB, and amateur radio.

The scenario chosen for Caribe Wave 2025 was a tsunami generated by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake located approximately 168 miles off the coast of Portugal, with the expected tsunami wave arriving 8 hours later. The exercise started at 11 AM EST with an alert on radio and TV stations made by the Emergency Alert System (EAS). Some cellphone companies also sent the tsunami alert, and all systems stated very clearly that it was a test.

As the PRSN began to receive the tsunami alert bulletins, sent thru the KP4NTS and KP4DOG packet nodes, the information was sent to different coordinated amateur radio frequencies for emergency events on VHF, 40 meters and 5403.5 MHz island-wide. ARRL Puerto Rico Section Manager Carmen Greene, KP4QVQ, was stationed at the Zone 5 PREMB office in Mayagúez to follow how the bulletins were sent thru various amateur radio outlets. The exercise for the amateur radio part concluded at 1 PM.

Siren systems were also tested, evacuation drills were practiced on coastal cities, and some amateur radio groups formed special nets to gather information on how they received the advisory alert. For more information on the Caribe Wave exercises, visit www.tsunamizone.org .