Tripura conducts statewide disaster drill to test flood, landslide readiness

Tripura conducted a full-scale disaster preparedness drill across 76 high-risk locations on Wednesday, focusing on readiness for floods and landslides. The exercise was led by the Tripura Disaster Management Authority (TDMA) with technical support from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India.

Coordinated by the Revenue Department and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), the simulation was designed to test emergency response systems in real-time, particularly in flood-prone areas, hospitals, and zones vulnerable to landslides. Key response activities included evacuation drills, search and rescue operations, relief distribution, and staging of community support centres.

The exercise brought together a wide range of responders: personnel from the National and State Disaster Response Forces (NDRF and SDRF), the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF, civil administration, and volunteers. Public sector undertakings like ONGC, GAIL, NEEPCO, TNGCL, and OTPC also contributed resources, along with local NGOs and trained community members known as Aapda Mitras.

Operational readiness of Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) was a key focus, with attention on coordination, real-time communication, and command structures. The Incident Response System (IRS) framework guided the drill, and live video feeds from the field enabled centralised monitoring and decision-making.

State Relief Commissioner and Incident Commander Brijesh Pandey oversaw operations at the State Emergency Operation Centre. He emphasised that continuous drills like this are essential for building rapid and effective disaster response capabilities.

A debriefing session followed the simulation, where officials reviewed performance, noted successful strategies, and identified areas needing improvement. The consensus was clear: regular full-scale drills are critical for public awareness and multi-agency preparedness, not only for floods and landslides, but also for other hazards such as earthquakes.