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Date Published: 22/03/2023

ARCHIVED - 12,000 Torrevieja students take part in earthquake drill on anniversary of devastating 1829 quake

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More than 80 Torrevieja emergency personnel were involved in the simultaneous drills with drones and Turkey-quake rescue dog

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - 12,000 Torrevieja students take part in earthquake drill on anniversary of devastating 1829 quake

Torrevieja is located in one of the areas with the highest seismic risk in Spain and registers dozens of mini-earthquakes every year, of which only a small number are felt by the population, and are usually mildly.

This can't be said for the seismic movement that occurred 194 years ago at 6.15pm on March 21 when an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale literally levelled the town .

Nearby Guardamar and Almoradi were also devastated in the quake. Just short of 3,000 houses were razed to the ground and another 2,400 were damaged. Tragically 386 people were killed and 375 injured.

On the anniversary of the powerful earthquake, 12,000 students from schools and institutes in Torrevieja took part in a massive, simultaneous seismic emergency drill.

More than 80 personnel took part in the drill. The Fire Brigade, Local Police, Guardia Civil, Civil Protection and SAMU were involved with aerial resources, drones and a dog from the canine rescue unit.

And they were coordinated from an advanced command post set up in Torrevieja Fire Station, under the watchful eye of Councillor for Security, Federico Alarcón.

In CEIP Cuba and IES Mare Nostrum schools, an operational control was set up to deal with potential rescues, and a communications blackout was simulated to replica worst case scenario.

The latter was the scene of two simulated rescues using an extendable ladder and stretchers.

A 'seriously injured person' was then rescued from an 'inaccessible area' next to the school. The special rescue group carried out the task with the help of Alfa1 helicopter, immobilising the injured person on a stretcher.

At the same time, at the CEIP Cuba school, a rescue dog was used to locate a girl buried under rubble. Puma, a four-year-old border collie dog, who was recently involved in the earthquake relief efforts in Turkey, immediately located the child hidden among the cardboard before posing for selfies.

A team of drones with infra-red cameras from the San Vicente del Raspeig fire station assessed the situation to preempt a building collapse and ensure there were no other people left inside.

This is the third drill of this kind organised by Torrevieja Council; others took place in 2013 and 2018.

On this occasion, 2,000 leaflets were also distributed among students and their families with basic instructions on what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

Don't miss: Until May 8 FREE open-air wine exhibition in Torrevieja

Images: Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja

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