Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 06 March 2025
In adherence to the Chief Secretary’s directive mandating quarterly mock drills across all departments, the Directorate of Disaster Management conducted a multi-disaster mock drill at Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council (SVPMC) on March 5, 2025. The exercise simulated earthquake, tsunami, and fire scenarios to assess the preparedness level of the Council and response agencies.
As per the drill scenario, all SVPMC staff followed earthquake safety protocols and began evacuating immediately after the simulated tremors stopped at 11:00 AM. The communication team promptly issued alerts and warnings through the Public Address (PA) system, instructing everyone to vacate the building. Additionally, assistance was sought from resource departments via helpline numbers.
The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) and District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) alerted all relevant resource departments, including Fire, Police, Electricity, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Transport, and Health. These teams swiftly arrived at the site and executed their respective duties under the guidance of the Incident Commander of SVPMC.
Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, who was present at SVPMC during the drill, observed the exercise and interacted with officials from the participating departments. He commended the A&N Administration for its proactive approach towards disaster preparedness in the region.
The mock drill concluded successfully at 11:40 AM. A debriefing session was later held at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Auditorium, where representatives from all resource departments shared their observations and highlighted key findings and gaps in the response. The Incident Commander and Executive Engineer of SVPMC assured that the Council would further strengthen its disaster preparedness efforts and continue organizing regular drills to enhance response capabilities.