Travesty of earthquake involves more than a thousand people in the region

An earthquake of high intensity with epicenter in Benavente will cause high human and material damage in Samora Correia, Benavente and various locations in the districts of Lisbon, Santarem and Setubal. This is the scenario for the exercise which will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the region. The exercise is the largest ever made in Portugal and will involve hundreds of people. It builds on the earthquake history of Benavente in 1909 that killed dozens of people in the county and is justified as a county of high seismic risk According to the National Authority for Civil Protection, the year "PROCIV IV/2008" will test the responses of all elements of civil protection and guidance as the Special Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk for the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon and Municipalities Border Region (PEERS - AML) and the plans of the respective municipalities. Benavente pioneered in the testing and approval of its plan, which won praise from several specialists. On Friday, November 21, 17.30, will be given a warning for the earthquake in the old part of town with a high number of fatalities and serious injuries. Many of the victims are buried. Will require the intervention of the team of search and rescue. The confusion in the town installs itself with the cut in traffic stops and the cars on the roads and streets. We need to evacuate homes schools and other public facilities. There will be dozens of homeless. There must be the place to accommodate, clothes and food. And the dead can not be overlooked. After treating the living, you have to evacuate them to where they do not endanger the public health. "This game, played on as if it were real," warns Miguel Duarte Cardia, coordinator of the year in the county of Benavente. The officer calls for people to understand the damage that the exercise will cause over the three days. "We are doing this for the sake of everyone," justified. On Saturday the earthquake will be at 09:00 in Benavente and exercise to include the actual collapse of a building in ruins. "Board is useful to the pleasant," says Miguel Cardia. The building was already to be demolished for safety reasons and the actual collapse will allow a real vision of the consequences of a collapse. In this exercise that runs throughout the morning of Saturday, there will be 101 injured. They are one hundred people and a dog so that it can be also tested the response of the veterinary authority. The apparatus is suspended at 13.00 and returns at 15.00 in industrial area of Pasni and Porto Alto, after all the players eat a diet of combat provided by the Army. In a zone of industries, the scenario provides for the release and spill of hazardous materials and other specialized tests in the intervention of firefighters and healthcare technicians. The consequences of inhalation and direct contact with dangerous substances have unforeseen consequences. Sunday morning, attention was again centered in Benavente with a replica of the main earthquake. The situation is complicated because many industries are hit and release hazardous substances. The number of fire victims. The civil protection officials are already exhausted and responsiveness of logistical means is near the limit. They called foreign aid. The victims were evacuated to hospitals in the field and mounted units for the region. Social services support the families affected by the disaster and deal with the resettlement of those who are homeless. After the exercise will be done the first assessment with stakeholders and their coordinators. Later come the report that will outline the errors and suggest corrections. This time will be a game. But at any time can be serious.