The Nicaraguan Disaster Simulation (officially a “National Exercise for the Protection of Life in Multi-Threat Situations”) is better known locally as a “Simulacro”.
IV National Exercise of Preparation and Protection of Life
This exercise is scheduled for 10am this coming Monday (December 20th 2021) and takes into consideration some of the more recent multi-threat situations Nicaragua has faced. For example; in November 2020, when back to back hurricanes (Eta, category 4 and Iota, category 5) that hit the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCN) affecting about 60% of the national territory in one way or another.
The Nicaraguan Disaster Simulation this Monday will simulate several different scenarios (such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes) from its start time of 10am.
The goal of the national exercise or drill is to learn how to protect ourselves and minimize the loss of life in the event of a real disaster. The drill will be carried out under the coordination of SINAPRED and COMUPRED throughout the country.
SINAPRED
The National System for the Prevention, Mitigation and Attention of Disasters (SINAPRED) was created by Law No. 337 to establish policies to create an interdisciplinary system aimed at reducing the risks and effects of natural or manmade disasters through prevention, mitigation and response. SINAPRED is made up of organizations from the various social and private sectors and establishes provisions for the dissemination of relevant information.
COMUPRED
The Municipal Committees for the Prevention, Mitigation and Attention to Disasters (COMUPRED) are the local groups that work directly in and with the local authorities.
Managua Earthquake
The simulation will take place just days before the anniversary of the Managua Earthquake which hit at about 30 minutes past midnight on December 23rd, 1972. It was a magnitude 6.3 on the Richter scale (as was used back then). The epicenter was the city center of Managua, a diameter of about 5 kilometers which shook for 6 seconds. The quake is believed to have killed 4,000 – 11,000 of the population, injured 20,000 and left 300,000 homeless.
