This Is a Drill

For some time I had been seeing these posters at the Metrobus stops announcing a nationwide earthquake drill for Monday, January 20th at 11:00 A.M.

Previously Mexico City would have a drill each year on September 19th, the anniversary of the tragic 1985 quake.  Ironically on September 19th, 2017, just a few hours after the annual drill, Mexico City suffered another severe earthquake with much destruction and loss of life.  This year it has been decided that there will be three drills each year, and that it will be nationwide.  (There will be drills again in May and September.)

I was at Alejandro's house on Monday.  He has an app on his smart phone for earthquake alerts and drills.  At exactly 11:00 his phone began making a loud siren noise... so loud in fact that it was drowning out the siren outdoors.  The siren closest to the house was not functioning.  Hopefully someone has reported that.  There is another siren down the street that was working.

Alejandro, his father, and I went out to the street and stayed there until the siren ended.  Some of the neighbors also left their houses, but it was obvious that not everyone on the street was paying attention to the drill.