NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs will conduct a Multi-State Mega Mock Tsunami Exercise 2017 on Friday across 31 coastal districts in West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The exercise will be held by National Disaster Management Authority and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services.
“The disaster scenario will simulate tsunami waves originating due to a high-intensity earthquake near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which will lead to a massive tsunami along the east coast,” a ministry statement said.
Participants from 11 Pacific Island countries will observe the exercise to grasp key lessons and practices to be adopted while preparing for and responding to a disaster situation.
The exercise is one of the activities planned for observing the 2nd World Tsunami Awareness Day held on November 5.
Officials from the Army, Navy, Air Force, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), health, police, education, fire, Civil Defense, transport, electricity and public relations, among others, will participate in the exercise.
Tsunami is a highly devastating natural hazard, and requires rapid response as the reaction time is limited. A two-hour reaction time has been planned in this scenario during which the entire state machinery will be mobilised to respond swiftly and efficiently. Evacuation drills will also be rehearsed at selected sites, the ministry said. This exercise aims to assess and help improve the preparedness, response mechanism and coordination among concerned agencies.
India’s eastern coast is susceptible to floods and tsunamis. Many coastal districts have conducted similar mock exercises for better preparedness over the years. The exercise scheduled for Friday when the entire eastern coast will participate.