Azuay Authorities Coordinate Provincial Simulation to Prepare for El Niño Scenarios

Authorities in Azuay are actively preparing for potential impacts from the El Niño phenomenon. On Friday, September 18, the Azuay Prefecture and the National Secretariat of Risk Management held a coordination meeting to finalize plans for a provincial simulation. This significant exercise is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 22, starting at 10:00 AM.

The simulation will involve the Provincial COE, various cantonal COEs, and institutions from the Technical Work Tables. The primary goal is to evaluate response times, assess inter-institutional coordination, and test the overall capacity to manage potential emergencies that could arise from El Niño.

During the exercise, several key Technical Work Tables will be activated. These include areas critical to public safety and well-being, such as water and sanitation, health and pre-hospital care, basic services, temporary shelters and humanitarian aid, education, livelihoods and productivity, and infrastructure and housing.

The Azuay Prefecture will specifically evaluate its readiness to respond to potential issues affecting provincial rural roads, damage or collapse of irrigation systems, and widespread floods. The results of this comprehensive simulation are expected to help identify areas for improvement, strengthen institutional preparedness, and enhance the region's overall resilience to adverse weather events. The objective is to validate existing protocols, improve coordination among participating institutions, and evaluate decision-making capabilities to ensure a timely and effective response for the population.

Sources: elmercurio.com.ec.

Image: existing site image, illustrative.