Residents in Torrevieja were startled on Wednesday morning when an earthquake alert suddenly appeared on their mobile phones.
The warning was part of a major emergency drill simulating a powerful earthquake and tsunami hitting the Costa Blanca town, with people trapped and rescue teams rushing to respond.
The exercise is being used to test a new ‘unified emergency response’ protocol designed to speed up how firefighters and specialist teams are deployed across the Valencian region.
Under the system, the Generalitat has joined forces with the provincial fire consortia of Valencia, Alicante and Castellon, as well as the fire brigades of the three provincial capitals.
The aim is to allow crews and equipment to be mobilised almost automatically anywhere in the region when a major emergency strikes.
Authorities are also creating a catalogue of different disaster scenarios, setting out in advance what personnel and resources are needed in each case.
The idea is to avoid delays and ensure the right teams are sent immediately.
Regional Emergency Minister Juan Carlos Valderrama said the protocol will be activated when a Level 2 emergency is declared under the regional emergency plan.
‘It is a tool that will allow the immediate deployment of firefighters and command teams from the SPEIS and provincial brigades to any point in the Valencian territory where an extraordinary emergency occurs,’ he told reporters.
