Guwahati: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), conducted a comprehensive state-level mock exercise on flood disaster preparedness and response.
The exercise was conducted in two phases – a tabletop exercise on Tuesday and a full-scale physical mock exercise on Thursday. The exercise aimed to strengthen flood preparedness, improve inter-agency coordination and refine response mechanisms across Assam.
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A total of ten districts – Kamrup, Nalbari, Barpeta, Dhubri, Morigaon, Cachar, Darrang, Goalpara, Bongaigaon and Nagaon – participated in the event. The exercise was overseen by senior consultant of NDMA, Brigadier Ravinder Gurung (Retd), and conducted virtually from Guwahati.
Representatives from district administrations, state agencies, police, fire and emergency services, and other first responders contributed to the initiative. The simulation focussed on various critical activities to assess flood preparedness and response capabilities.
This included issuing early warnings and situational updates, activating Incident Response Teams (IRT) by the state and district emergency operations centres, and establishing Incident Response System (IRS) facilities, such as staging areas in affected districts.
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Pre-emptive evacuations of vulnerable villages and unsafe urban structures were carried out, along with search and rescue operations, including specialised rescue efforts.
Medical aid posts were established, mass triage was conducted and medical assistance was provided to the affected populations.
Relief camps were established, road clearance operations facilitated emergency movement and on-site evaluations were conducted by NDMA exercise coordinators and ASDMA officials to ensure the effectiveness of response mechanisms.
This mock exercise underscores the government’s dedication to enhancing disaster resilience and preparedness, particularly in Assam, a state that is frequently impacted by floods.
Such initiatives highlight the significance of collective efforts in mitigating disaster risks, safeguarding lives and ensuring effective response mechanisms.