A comprehensive mock drill simulating a 7.5-magnitude earthquake was conducted at the Residential Area of the Forest Department in Dimapur on 14th November 2024. The drill was organized under the guidelines of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) and the DG, NDRF Headquarters, aiming to assess and enhance the readiness and coordination of first responders, including the police, fire services, health officials, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
A team of 25 NDRF personnel, stationed in Dimapur since 1st November, along with State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Fire and Emergency Services, Dimapur played a key role in the drill. Prior to this exercise, the NDRF were engaged in various community awareness and school safety programs and conducted assessments of major accident-prone areas, including the Dimapur airfield, Baba Chemical factory, and the Indian Oil Corporation Depot. They also surveyed landslide-prone areas and gathered valuable data for future preparedness.
The simulated scenario centred on a severely damaged building with multiple casualties. Using specialized tools like search-and-rescue cameras and power tools, the rescue team effectively located and evacuated one individual trapped on the top floor, assisted three injured people on the ground floor, and extracted another casualty from a confined space on the ground floor during the mock exercise. The operation demonstrated the response of first responders under the leadership of Deputy Commandant A. Bobol of the 12th NDRF Battalion and Thejavizo Kehie, District Project Associate of the Dimapur District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), monitored the mock drill.
(Tiakumla IA, Dimapur)
