NEW DELHI: Three state-of-the-art emergency operation centres (EOCs) of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will be set up in the national capital for executing disaster mitigation operations.Although the DDMA has not yet identified land for setting up the emergency operation units, they are expected to come up at South West, East and North West districts of the city. The units will maintain a databank of resources, action plans, state and district disaster management plans, community preparedness plans, besides maps indicating vulnerable areas, details of identified shelters and communication link system with the government.
Though new in the national capital, similar units are already functional in states including Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The DDMA presently has a small unit set up behind its headquarters in Civil Line which functions during emergencies.
“Our basic attempt here is to provide a set up where all the response forces coordinate as a team and thereby enhancing the rescue operations. The state-of-the-art units will be of international standard and will have trained staff capable of springing into action at a moment’s notice which is crucial during times of distress,” Special Secretary DDMA Sanjay Jha told The Sunday Standard. According to the DDMA, Delhi is located in zone IV which has fairly high seismicity where the general occurrence of earthquakes is of 5-6 magnitude, a few of magnitude 6-7 and occasionally of 7-8 magnitude.
Why is Delhi an earthquake prone city?
India is mainly divided into 4 seismic zones — Zone 2, 3, 4, and 5. Delhi lies in the very sensitive Seismic Zone 4 Delhi lies in the very sensitive Seismic Zone 4.
Zoning is done on the basis of the number of active fault lines on the earth’s surface which may or may not become the epicenter of an earthquake.
Delhi is situated on top of few active seismic fault lines. Moreover, its proximity to other active seismic fault lines further worsens the situation