Agartala, December 21, 2023: To enhance public awareness about natural disasters, specifically earthquakes, drills were conducted simultaneously at 9 am on Thursday in eight districts across the state. The exercise covered six locations in West Tripura district and five locations in each of the remaining seven districts. The State Emergency Operation Center at the Capital Complex hosted a key drill as part of the program.
Financed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and spearheaded by the Tripura Disaster Management Authority and the National Disaster Management Authority, the exercise witnessed the participation of high-profile officials and representatives. Chief Secretary JK Sinha, Major General Sudhir Bhel (Senior Consultant, NDMA), TK Debnath (Secretary, Revenue Department), GS Rao (IGP), Bimbisar Bhattacharya (Director, Information and Culture Department), and Sarat Kumar Das (State Project Officer, Disaster Management) were among the prominent attendees.
Representatives from various departments and agencies, including Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF, TSR, NDRF, Air Force, ONGC, Fire, Health, Transport, Finance, and volunteers from education, works, fisheries, planning, cybercrime, and revenue departments, actively participated in the earthquake preparedness drill.
Conducted at the State Emergency Operations Center, the drill featured the sounding of sirens at 9 am and 9:45 am, simulating earthquake intensities of 8.2 and 6.2 on the Richter scale, respectively. Participants, including officers and members of the public, practiced taking shelter under tables and chairs, while others evacuated buildings for open spaces. Video conferencing showcased earthquake drills in all eight districts from the center.
Following the state-level exercise, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, NDMA Senior Consultant Major General Sudhir Bhel, West District DM Dr. Vishal Kumar, and State Project Officer of Disaster Management Sarat Kumar Das visited GBP Hospital, Umakanta Academy English Medium School staging area, and inspected the damage at IGM Hospital. The exercise aimed to strengthen the state’s preparedness and response capabilities in the event of a seismic event.
