The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Dimapur, in collaboration with the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) under the Home Department, successfully conducted a state-wide earthquake disaster mock drill across seven key locations in Dimapur on 24th October 2024.
The drill, which began with a briefing by Zakabo V. Rotokha, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) and Incident Commander of DDMA Dimapur at the DC’s Conference Hall, was aimed at testing the district’s preparedness for earthquake-related disasters. The mock drill concluded at the staging area, where Rotokha expressed gratitude to all the departments, schools, and colleges for their role in the successful execution of the drill.
The mock drill simulated various disaster scenarios at Dimapur Government College, Pantaloons Shopping Mall, GHSS Lingrijan School, Forest Residential Area, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Limited Dimapur Depot, Primary Health Centre (PHC) Duncan, and the DC Office Dimapur.
At Dimapur Government College, a fire broke out at the auditorium, and the administrative block suffered a partial collapse. A total of three dead bodies were retrieved, while four were seriously injured and eight sustained minor injuries. Nine individuals trapped on the top floor of the administrative block were also rescued.
Pantaloons Shopping Mall saw structural damage and a fire incident, resulting in the retrieval of one dead, two seriously injured, and five with minor injuries. Heavy traffic congestion further complicated the evacuation efforts.
At GHSS Lingrijan School, rescuers retrieved two dead, three seriously injured, and one with minor injuries from the collapsed building. Five persons were trapped in the debris but were safely rescued.
In the Forest Residential Area, a fire and structural damage led to four serious injuries and eight minor injuries. Rescuers evacuated several residents amid chaotic scenes.
At the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Limited Dimapur Depot, five people were seriously injured, two sustained major injuries, and eight had minor injuries. A fire broke out, and the facility’s staff were evacuated.
The Primary Health Centre (PHC) Duncan experienced structural damage, resulting in three people sustaining minor injuries.
At the DC Office Dimapur, two people were initially reported missing but were later found. The rescue team retrieved three individuals with serious injuries and one with minor injuries from the collapsed structure.
The mock drill concluded successfully, providing critical insights into the district’s disaster response capabilities.
(I Tiakumla Ao, IA Dimapur)
