IMPHAL, March 12: In case of a major quake in Thoubal which has a population of 4,20,517, the expected number of injured and deaths are 21,300 and 4,800 respectively. In Imphal East, the injured are estimated at 23,000 and 5,100 deaths out of a district population of 4,52,661. And the total number of injured and death in NE states including Sikkim will be 55,72,000 and 843,000 deaths.
This was stated by KM Singh, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India.
In a press conference at the Old Secretariat this afternoon regarding a mega mock exercise which will be conducted in two district of Manipur on March 13, KM Singh said that Multi State Mega Mock Exercise on Earthquake will be conducted on March 13 at Imphal East and Thoubal simultaneously at 11.30 am under the aegis of National Disaster Management Authority by Disaster Management Institute, Relief and Disaster Management Department, Government of Manipur.
The government has identified five locations each in Imphal East and Thoubal. The venues in Imphal East are DC Imphal East office, Kusum Oil pump, City Convention Centre, JNIMS, PCTC Oil pump, Relief Camp, Panchayat Bhawan, DC Imphal East complex. In Thoubal, the venue will be Mini Secretariat, District Hospital, Thoubal market, Wangjing bazaar and Thoubal College.
He further said that main objective of the Mega Mock Exercise will be to generate awareness among the stakeholders about an earthquake of a high magnitude covering all eight northeast states.
“The mock exercises are conducted to understand the direct and indirect consequences of such an earthquake, to facilitate preparation and updating of response plans, to undertake capacity building exercises for earthquake disaster management, to facilitate inter-departmental and inter-state coordination and to assess multi-state earthquake disaster preparedness and identify gaps.”
The exercise will help us learn about what more needs to be done to meet the need in the hour of emergency. The mock drill exercise has been planned to sensitize the people for enhance preparedness and make them aware of earthquake hazards and coping mechanism, he said.
Major General VK Datta, Senior Specialist of NDMA, Government of India also said that the preparedness of the NE states would be assessed with the 8.7 magnitude-strong 1897 great Shillong earthquake scenario in the background.
The Mega Mock Exercise will be demonstrated by National Disaster Response Force, Local Police, NCC cadets, Civil Defence, Fire Brigade and volunteers from different organizations with the main idea being to spread awareness, to be prepared and organised.
The rescue teams who have been handled the responsibility of saving life are also supposed to take part at the sites of the mock exercises.
He said that, as per 2011 census of Manipur, the estimates of Human Casualties in Manipur would be 2,10,000 injuries and 38,000 deaths.
He further said that after the mock drill in the evening around 4 pm the team will conduct a press meet at Old Secretariat and will highlight the feedback of the exercise.
Dr Suhel Akhtar, Principal Secretary Relief and Disaster Management Government of Manipur also attended the press conference.
