On February 1, 2024, the Caribbean Ocean Observing System (CARICOOS) inaugurated the first Coastal and Aquatic Hazards Education Center (CERCA) at the Alejandro Tapia y Rivera (ATR) Montessori school in La Parguera, a frontline community in Lajas, Puerto Rico. CERCA aims to educate and inform citizens about the risks and vulnerabilities faced by communities living in coastal areas. The center provides an immersive and interactive experience to visitors with the help of graphical depictions such as the NOAA Digital Coast – Sea Level Rise Viewer and the National Hurricanes Center – Storm Surge visual tools. These are specially tailored for the coastal areas in southwestern Puerto Rico and allow residents to remotely visit their community and explore potential risks so that they can prepare adequately for natural and climatic hazards such as hurricanes, sea level rise, and tsunamis.
The project also includes training middle and high school students to understand these threats and the importance of conserving coastal ecosystems that act as a protective natural barrier for the communities and infrastructure along the coast. These trained students are responsible for helping residents understand coastal risks.
The inauguration of CERCA began with a presentation to school students, teachers, and non-teaching staff. Representatives of government agencies and organizations also participated in the event. The inauguration culminated in a community assembly where guest speaker meteorologist Roberto Cortés, a TV weather presenter, and Ernesto Rodríguez, Meteorologist in Charge of the National Meteorological Service -San Juan Forecast Office, offered keynote presentations.
CARICOOS has collaborated with Sea Grant PR, Instituto Nueva Escuela, and the Puerto Rico Department of Education for this initiative. Moreover, this center is supported by the National Weather Service, Puerto Rico State Agency for Emergency and Disaster Management, Puerto Rico Seismic Network, and the Caribbean Tsunamis Program, for whom CERCA will serve as a liaison to achieve better communication with the communities.
