Itanagar: In a bid to bolster its readiness for major seismic events, Arunachal Pradesh has been holding regular mock drills and simulation exercises based on a 7.8 magnitude earthquake scenario, officials said on Friday.
The initiatives are aimed at improving emergency response, resource mobilisation and coordination among departments.
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Secretary Dani Sulu, speaking at a tabletop exercise on a multi-state earthquake scenario on Friday, emphasised the importance of empowering state and district disaster management authorities to take the lead in response operations at the local level.
Highlighting that Arunachal Pradesh falls within a high seismic risk zone, Sulu said sustained preparedness efforts and stronger institutional mechanisms are essential to ensure an effective and timely disaster response.
The table-top exercise on a multi-state earthquake scenario was conducted by the Disaster Management Department, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), here on Friday. The exercise provided a platform to review preparedness, identify gaps, and strengthen coordination among departments and agencies.
NDMA senior consultant Nadeem Arshad said that the full and multi-state exercise is aimed at assessing preparedness, strengthening interstate coordination, and enhancing response mechanisms.
He emphasised the importance of coordinated planning and a joint response, as the NDMA presented a detailed earthquake scenario highlighting the need for timely decision-making, effective communication and coordinated action among all stakeholders.
Participating officials flagged emerging risks, including 32 identified high-risk glacial lakes in the state, which heighten vulnerability to glacial lake outburst floods, underscoring the need for continuous monitoring and enhanced preparedness.
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District Disaster Management Officers (DDMOs) from West Kameng, Pakke-Kessang, Papum Pare and the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) attended the meeting virtually, along with representatives from key departments and emergency response agencies, including the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
