Costa del Sol selected as epicentre for major earthquake response training exercise

"Andalucía is one of the regions in Spain with the highest risk, although on a global scale this risk is moderate," said the Junta regional government

Andrea Jiménez

Marbella

Wednesday, 27 September 2023, 12:06

Marbella has been chosen for an earthquake emergency response drill along with the province of Cadiz. The aim of the RespuestA-23 exercise, which will take place in October, is to test coordination and response mechanisms in the event of a major emergency involving risk to people and the environment, according to the Junta de Andalucía.

The earthquake drill will be carried out in Marbella, with another operation in Estepona to practice for the event of a possible spill of hazardous substances. "Andalucía is one of the regions in Spain with the highest risk of earthquakes, although on a global scale this risk is moderate," said the Junta regional government.

There will be a large-scale emergency response system coordinated by Emergencias Andalucía (112, Protección Civil and Grupo de Emergencias de Andalucía GREA), the Centro de Emergencias Sanitarias 061, National Police, Guardia Civil, fire brigades, town halls, Local Police, Red Cross, Maritime Rescue and Spain's Military Emergency Unit. Local Civil Protection volunteer groups and the National Emergency Radio Network REMER will also participate.

In Cadiz there will be three serious risk scenarios: a hazardous substances tank fire, a forest fire and coastal pollution incident in Algeciras bay. A fire in a Cepsa fuel tank will force the preventive evacuation of the population of Carteya-Guadarranque, while a forest fire will be simulated in the Carteia archaeological site.

This large-scale simulation project was first carried out in 2021 when the exercise recreated three major emergency situations: a major earthquake in the eastern part of Andalucía (Almeria, Granada and Malaga), a tidal wave in the Gulf of Cadiz (Cadiz and Huelva) and severe flooding in the provinces of the Guadalquivir Valley (Jaen, Cordoba and Seville).

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