Chilean technology was key in the national tsunami drill in Ecuador
The activity aimed to assess the response capability of the citizens in the face of a potential natural disaster on the coast.
The Chilean scaleup VIPER, specialized in emergency management technology, recently participated in an earthquake and tsunami drill in Manta, Ecuador. The activity, which took place on January 31, was attended by Ecuadorian authorities and urban search and rescue teams (USAR), and aimed to assess the response capacity of citizens in the face of a potential natural catastrophe on the coast.
Within the exercise, the company played a key role in the drill, providing its early warning technology to coordinate the activation of different alarm levels, from the possible tsunami alert to provincial and national alarms. Camilo Salazar and his Ecuadorian partner, Luis Loose, representatives of VIPER, traveled to Manta to firsthand understand the local reality and dialogue with the fire department chiefs of the main cities participating in the event, as well as with representatives of that country's government.
"It was a key experience to demonstrate the effectiveness of our system. From the start of the exercise, we were able to coordinate alerts with local authorities, allowing an organized mobilization of response teams," highlighted Salazar, COO and co-founder of VIPER.
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He added that, "This procedure can be replicated in Chile, as we have already done it in the Los Rios Region through the Guardians of the Forest exercise, and also in any other country that values the importance of this type of drills."
What was VIPER's involvement in the simulation?
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The exercise simulated a magnitude 8.8 earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, triggering a tsunami scenario that tested the early warning system, public response, and coordination of emergency teams. The SNGR monitored the development of the drill in real time to identify strengths and areas for improvement in disaster response protocols.
During the exercise, more than 10 mass notifications were sent to the authorities and over 50 alerts to the different USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) teams, which actively participated in the drill. Seven USAR teams from Ecuador intervened and achieved their certification throughout the event, validating their preparedness for emergency situations.
The reason for the drill in Manta
The drill in Manta, a coastal city in the south-central part of Ecuador, was strategically chosen for its vulnerability to tsunamis and involved various institutions, including the Ecuadorian Risk Management Secretariat, the Armed Forces, the National Police and local municipalities.
The work was in close collaboration with these entities to pre-load the emergency response information and coordinate the alerts to be developed. While the Viper platform proved to be effective in triggering the alarms, opportunities for improvement were identified in the integration with other local systems, such as report and statistic registries, which on this occasion showed slower performance.
From the very first moment, their mass alert system allowed the coordination of more than 80 officials, authorities, and staff from the affected municipalities.
On the other hand, the community's response to the alarms remains a challenge, as according to available reports, the mobilization of the population was limited.
The Future of VIPER in Ecuador
Following the success of the drill, VIPER continues to establish itself as a key tool in emergency management in the country. Machala - the second most important port in Ecuador - has been the first city to successfully implement the service, and discussions are being held to expand its use to more fire departments.
Furthermore, the Government Secretariat is assessing the possibility of acquiring the system to strengthen the response of USAR teams from different institutions, including the Ecuadorian Traffic Police and the Ecuadorian Red Cross.
With this experience, the company hopes to continue contributing to the strengthening of early warning systems in the region and to the preparation of communities in face of natural disasters.