Emergency drills conducted in Táchira and Lantarón

Authorities in Táchira, Venezuela, successfully completed a seismic drill as part of the 10th Grand Regional Seismic Event Simulation. The exercise focused on Search and Rescue in Collapsed Structures (BREC) at the former Banfoandes headquarters in San Cristóbal. Rescuers simulated the extraction of survivors following a hypothetical 7.2 magnitude earthquake, utilizing vertical rescue operations with ropes and pulleys. The drill involved coordination between the National Risk Management System, municipal authorities, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, and volunteers from the Red Cross of Venezuela and Colombia.

In Lantarón, Spain, a chemical emergency drill was conducted at the General Química S.A.U. plant to simulate a hydrogen sulfide gas leak, explosion, and fire. The exercise tested the External Emergency Plan (PEE) and the activation of chemical emergency sirens coordinated by the Basque Government’s Emergency and Meteorology Directorate (DAEM) and the Basque Association of Chemical Companies (Aveq-Kimika). The drill included regulated Seveso facilities such as Acideka and Bakelite Ibérica S.A., and involved simulating traffic disruptions and sending geolocated protection messages via the SOS Deiak application.