Statewide mock exercise on earthquake today

SHILLONG/ JOWAI: As part of the Multi State Mock Exercise on Earthquake Disaster, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), East Khasi Hills will conduct an exercise as per the Incident Response System (IRS) on Wednesday at 11 am. In this connection, the Deputy Commissioner & Chairman DDMA, East Khasi Hills District has requested the people not to panic.
Earlier, during a press conference on Wednesday, senior consultant, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), major general V.K. Naik said, “We do our best to enhance preparedness for such disasters.”
According to Naik, the community people are the first responders which were echoed by Additional Chief Secretary, PW Ingty who said the community has to be ready.
Ingty informed that the mock exercise will be conducted in all the 11 districts at the same time. He informed the Deputy Commissioners of all the eleven districts have selected several places to conduct the mock exercise.
The mock exercise will be conducted under the overall guidance of the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary and Disaster management team.
Specialist response from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) battalion and armed forces will carry rescue operations. Debriefing sessions will be carried out through video conference after the mock exercise with all the districts to evaluate the programme and find out areas of improvement.
In Jowai, the District Disaster Management Authority, West Jaintia Hills District will be conduct a mock drill exercise on earthquake and fire disater in Jowai Town on October 31 involving all stakeholders. The siren will sound at 11 am to signal the start of the exercise and again at 1:30 pm to signal the completion of the exercise.