Featuring the sound of sirens, horns, bells, and whistles, the First 2026 National Multi-Hazard Drill began nationwide at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 29.
The exercise, organized by the National Civil Defense Institute (Indeci), was designed to test the response capacity of the population and authorities in the event of earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters.
In various cities across Peru, thousands of people headed to designated safe areas indoors following the activation of alarms simulating the occurrence of a major earthquake.
As part of the exercise, vehicular traffic was also temporarily restricted at various locations, including along the Metropolitano (rapid bus system) route.
Likewise, evacuation protocols were activated at public and private institutions, as well as educational centers.
The drill is multi-hazard in nature because each region carries out actions based on the risks most commonly faced within its jurisdiction.
While earthquake and tsunami scenarios were simulated in Metropolitan Lima and Callao region, other areas practiced responses to landslides, floods, heavy rainfall, frost, cold spells, and strong winds.
During the first minutes of the drill, participants remained in previously identified indoor safe areas, following the instructions of emergency brigades and response personnel.
Subsequently, an orderly evacuation to assembly points and outdoor safe areas was carried out.
Some citizens took part carrying their emergency backpacks, while Indeci brigades and authorities supervised compliance with the safety protocols established for this national drill.
Authorities reminded the public that, in the event of a tsunami warning, people should immediately move away from the sea and head to higher ground or buildings designated for vertical evacuation.
They urged people residing in areas vulnerable to landslides to remain attentive to official information and head to safe locations.
The drill also mobilized the education community.
More than 9.3 million students from public and private schools took part in this first national drill of the year, along with over 612,000 teachers, school administrators, and parents from 87,341 educational institutions.
To this end, educational institutions previously organized disaster risk management brigades and marked evacuation routes and safe areas.
The national drill was conducted to mark the 56th anniversary of the earthquake that struck off the coast of Chimbote, in Ancash region, on May 31, 1970.
The disaster triggered the collapse of a mass of ice from Mount Huascaran and the devastating avalanche and mudflow that buried the city of Yungay, considered one of the worst natural tragedies in Peru’s history.
(END) LIT/RRC/MVB
