Assam: 8 Districts Conduct Drill To Prepare For Floods Next Monsoon

The purpose of the exercise was to determine how prepared responders were in each district's flood-prone areas.

Mock Drill on Flood Preparedness organised by ASDMA and NDMA ( Image Source :ABP )

The State Level Drill focused on a flood disaster scenario in Assam was conducted by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday. The exercise involved approximately 1000 stakeholders from various line departments and responding agencies in eight Assam districts, including Hajo (Kamrup), Sonapur (Kamrup Metro), Nalbari (Nalbari), North Lakhimpur (Lakhimpur), Dhubri (Dhubri), Nagoan (Nagaon), Silchar (Cachar), and Mangaldoi (Darrang) revenue circles.

The purpose of the exercise was to determine how prepared responders were in each district's flood-prone areas. In Sonapur, near the Maloibari keot para river, a physical drill was held as part of Kamrup Metro.

The activity was managed by Brig B S Thakar, NDMA, New Delhi. During this exercise, the eight selected districts' SEOC, ASDMA, DDMAs, and DEOCs were all activated. 

During a flood emergency, responding agencies and district administrations demonstrated the entire response mechanism. Before the actual False Activity, a Table Top Activity (Online) was likewise coordinated on April 25th, 2023 with the eight participating districts through video conferencing with the dynamic interest of key departments, stakeholders and disaster managers where their roles and responsibilities on various stimulated flood emergency situations were briefed. Meanwhile, ASDMA, DDMA Cachar, DDMA.

In the meantime, ASDMA, DDMA Cachar, DDMA Kamrup Metro, and the Agriculture Department's PWD (Roads) 1st Battalion NDRF, UNICEF, Indian Armed Force and Indian Airforce, introduced their particular calamity the board plan with unique reference to flood catastrophe during tabletop.

Assam is prone to natural disasters like floods and erosion which has a negative impact on the overall development of the state.

The Brahmaputra and Barak River, with more than 50 tributaries feeding them, causes flood devastation during the monsoon period every year.

The flood and erosion problem of Assam is singularly different from other states so far as extent and duration of flooding and magnitude of erosion is concerned and is probably the most acute and unique in the country.

The flood prone area of Assam is four times the national mark of the flood prone area of the country.

Post-Independent India, Assam faced major floods in 1954, 1962, 1972, 1977, 1984, 1988, 1998, 2002, 2004 and 2012.

Almost every year, three to four waves of floods ravage the flood-prone areas of Assam.

The average annual loss due to flood in the state is to the tune of Rs 200 crores and particularly in 1998, the loss suffered was about Rs 500 crores and during the year 2004, it was about Rs 771 crores.

Last year, Assam faced several waves of floods since April 6. The state also experienced some of its worst-ever landslides and severe erosion.

The catastrophes claimed at least 179 lives besides causing massive damage to infrastructures, croplands and livestock.  

With Thursday’s drill on flood disaster scenario, the state now is geared up to combat even a critical deluge, effectively.