Odisha disaster management authority to conduct mock drill; districts asked to be monsoon ready

BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of monsoon and post-monsoon cyclone season, the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) conducted a tabletop exercise both at the district and block levels to review the preparedness of the administrations to tackle flood and cyclone.

The meeting held in all 30 districts and 314 blocks discussed the local level preparedness and roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders concerned during the calamities and emergency situations. The exercise was a precursor to the mock drill on these natural calamities to be held at the community level covering all 879 flood and cyclone shelters in 25 districts, said OSDMA executive director Gyana Ranjan Das.

With a number of districts vulnerable to flood during monsoon and Odisha facing cyclones in the post-monsoon period mostly during October and November, Das said the local authorities were asked to keep the administrative machinery in a state of preparedness to meet any eventuality.

The mock drill at cyclone and flood shelters involving local communities in calamity-prone areas will be conducted on June19. District administrations as well as NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services personnel will take part in the exercise.