More than 114,000 people across Baja California Sur took part in a tsunami and earthquake evacuation drill on May 6, with the main exercise centered on La Paz’s malecón waterfront. The drill was part of Mexico’s First National Drill of 2026, coordinated by the State Civil Protection Council, the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), and municipal authorities.
A seismic alert sent to cellphones at 10 a.m. triggered the full evacuation. The scenario simulated a major earthquake followed by a tsunami affecting coastal areas, with the malecón serving as the primary reference point for the exercise.
Rescue Simulation on the Waterfront
Emergency crews practiced rescuing roughly 40 people from the waterfront and open water during the drill. Students and faculty from the University of Baja California Sur (UABCS) Disaster Prevention and Civil Protection engineering program led public outreach in the city center starting at 9 a.m., an hour before the simulated alert.
Authorities from all three levels of government (federal, state, and municipal) participated in the malecón exercise. Jardín Velasco, the historic plaza near the waterfront, was one of the designated assembly points tested during the evacuation.
UABCS Campus Evacuated in Two Minutes
At the UABCS campus on the south side of La Paz, more than 100 people evacuated the university library and administration building in just over two minutes. The rapid response offered a benchmark for institutional preparedness at one of the state’s largest public universities.
Officials used the event to share protocols for responding to an actual tsunami warning, including how to identify safe evacuation routes away from the coast and toward higher ground. La Paz sits at sea level along the Bay of La Paz, and while tsunamis are infrequent in Baja California Sur, the risk is real. A seismic event in the Gulf of California just weeks before the drill served as a reminder of the region’s geological activity.
Statewide Participation
The 114,000 participants statewide included schools, government offices, and public spaces across all five municipalities in Baja California Sur. Governor Víctor Castro Cosío’s administration and La Paz Mayor Milena Quiroga Romero’s office both supported the exercise as part of a broader push to strengthen civil protection culture in the state.
This story was first reported by Colectivo Pericú and confirmed by Peninsular Digital and Tribuna de México.