On May 7, Wednesday, India staged a large-scale countrywide civil defence mock drill, conducting a range of emergency situations to gauge preparedness and coordination among response forces. The operation, involving thousands of state disaster response force, police, fire brigades, and medical units, was staged nationwide.
The exercises were conducted in major cities and towns, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Chennai, where participants practiced earthquake response, chemical spill control, building evacuation, and mass casualty management. The exercises were designed to enhance inter-agency coordination and enhance on-ground decision-making during emergencies.
Vivid field photos from the exercise caught dramatic rescue scenes: rescuers carrying stretchers, firefighters crawling through smoke-filled corridors, and volunteers practicing evacuation drills. Citizens were also involved in the activities, learning first-hand about emergency management and safety awareness.
India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) underscored the importance of such drills in cultivating a culture of preparedness. Authorities lauded the participation level and noted that the mock drills would feed into future disaster planning, training, and infrastructure improvements.
