By Santiago Villaseñor | News & Local Affairs
Residents and visitors may notice unusual emergency activity across Los Cabos Saturday morning — but there is no reason for alarm.
Los Cabos will participate in Mexico’s Second National Drill of 2026 on Saturday, September 19 at 11:00 a.m. local time, part of a nationwide effort designed to strengthen emergency preparedness.
For Baja California Sur and northwestern Mexico, the exercise will simulate a magnitude 7.1 earthquake with an epicenter in Mexicali, Baja California.
Los Cabos is currently leading participation within Baja California Sur, according to the municipal government.
As of Friday, 235 properties and approximately 20,000 people had registered to participate, including families, businesses, schools and government agencies.
What Visitors Should Know
Because the drill takes place on a Saturday, tourists could encounter evacuation exercises or increased emergency-response activity at hotels, businesses and public facilities.
It is only a drill.
The Municipality of Los Cabos is also encouraging families to participate from home by reviewing evacuation routes, identifying meeting points and creating family emergency plans that account for children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets.
The exercise takes place on September 19, Mexico’s National Civil Protection Day — a date with particular significance because of the devastating earthquakes that struck the country in 1985 and 2017.
Local Civil Protection officials say seismic activity recorded in Los Cabos during 2026 reinforces the importance of knowing what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
For residents and visitors alike, Saturday’s exercise is a reminder that preparedness in Los Cabos isn’t limited to hurricanes.
The drill begins at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 19.
