In an effort to enhance disaster resilience, the Disaster Management department conducted a series of mock drills across Dibrugarh on Thursday. The exercise simulated a catastrophic earthquake of magnitude 7.9, designed to test the coordination and response speed of emergency services.
The Chowkidinghee Playground served as the central staging area and assembly point for the exercise. From this hub, emergency vehicles and specialised rescue teams were dispatched to various “crisis zones” across the city to simulate real-time interventions.
The earthquake mock drill, which simulated a magnitude 7.9 tremor, was simultaneously executed at three critical locations during the morning session from 9 am. These sites included the Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School, where student evacuation protocols were tested, and the St. Vincenza Gerosa (VG) Hospital, focusing on medical emergency readiness. The third location involved in this initial phase was the Dibrugarh East Revenue Circle Office, ensuring that administrative emergency management systems were fully operational under pressure.
The final and most complex phase of the drill took place from 4.30 pm at Sohum Junction Mall, located on the heavily congested RKB Road. This location was chosen to simulate a rescue scenario in a modern commercial space during peak hours, requiring seamless cooperation between the Disaster Management Department and local revenue circle emergency teams.
“Simulating a magnitude 7.9 earthquake is essential for a high-seismic zone like Dibrugarh. These drills help us identify gaps in our communication and rescue pipelines before a real tragedy strikes,” said an official.
The exercise concluded with a debriefing session to analyse response times and the effectiveness of the emergency vehicle deployment from the central assembly point.
