An Earthquake Response Exercise 2025 held through National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) will take place this week from 1-5 December at the Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha.
The summit is for the Africa, Europe and Middle East (AEME) region and is part of the global programme of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG)
The program is mandated by UN General Assembly Resolution 57/150 to strengthen international cooperation and coordination for urban search and rescue (USAR) in major disasters. This 2025 event will bring together national responders, provincial and municipal role players, international USAR teams, Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs), UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) experts, and humanitarian partners from across the AEME region together in PE..
The Summit is being hosted by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa who says: “Hosting the AEME Earthquake Response Exercise highlights South Africa’s commitment to global disaster cooperation and our responsibility to protect lives.
“This exercise strengthens our readiness, sharpens our coordination systems, and positions our country as a leader in regional and international emergency response,” Minister Hlabisa said.
The 2025 Earthquke Response exercise (ERE) serves as South Africa’s largest disaster readiness simulation to date and represents a major milestone in advancing the country’s role as a continental hub for emergency response. It will simulate a large-scale earthquake affecting a densely populated urban area, followed by cascading hazards such as flooding, hazardous material incidents, and service interruptions.
This multi-hazard scenario will test South Africa’s ability to coordinate complex operations involving:Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Flood and water rescue, Emergency medical response, Evacuation and shelter management, Humanitarian relief operations, and Inter-agency communication and strategic coordination,
The Exercise will also validate national protocols for requesting, receiving, and coordinating international support in a major disaster. It builds on South Africa’s commitment to strengthening the national disaster management architecture, improving readiness across the spheres of government, and deepening collaboration with international partners.
It aims to:
* Enhance coordination among national, provincial and municipal disaster management centres
* Strengthen interoperability between police, fire services, EMS, defence, and humanitarian actors
* Promote regional cooperation with SADC partners
* Apply INSARAG and UNDAC methodologies in a real-time national context
* Develop a common operating picture for large-scale disaster response
* Build practical skills through workshops, tabletop exercises, and field simulations
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