Ampati, March 18: Officers and staff from various departments of South West Garo Hills actively participated in a State Level Table Top Exercise on earthquake preparedness on Tuesday at the Conference Hall, Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Ampati.
The exercise was organized by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA) and the Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
The Table Top Exercise served as a preparatory session for the State Level Mock Exercise on earthquake preparedness, scheduled to take place on Thursday. The mock exercise aims to test and strengthen the response and coordination mechanisms of various departments in the event of a major earthquake.
In South West Garo Hills, multiple operational sites have been identified to stage earthquake scenarios and rescue operations. Its include, Ampati Area- Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Mini Secretariat , Ampati Government Higher Secondary School, Chengkompara Village, Ampati Farmer’s Market, and Civil Hospital.
Zikzak Area– C&RD Block Office will stage a landslide scenario caused by an earthquake, along Betasing Area- Betasing Petrol Pump Rerapara Area- Dorambok Bridge under Rerapara C&RD Block.
Key locations have been designated to facilitate effective disaster response, Incident Command Post- Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Ampati Staging Area-Mini Stadium, Ampati Base Camp- BADO MFC Medical Aid Posts- Civil Hospital Ampati, Garobadha PHC, and Zikzak PHC Relief Camp- Chengkompara MFC Helipad- Indoor Stadium, Ampati .
The exercise is expected to enhance the preparedness and response capabilities of emergency services and strengthen inter-departmental coordination during natural disasters. The State Level Mock Exercise on Thursday will provide a real-time assessment of the region’s disaster readiness and identify areas for improvement in disaster management protocols.
