DM&R Minister attends 'State Level Mock Exercise on Earthquake' Debriefing Meeting

Hnahthial Post | January 16, 2026, Aizawl: A debriefing meeting of the ‘State Level Mock Exercise on Earthquake’ jointly organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Disaster Management & Rehabilitation (DM&R) Department, was held at the Assembly Secretariat Annexe Conference Hall. The meeting was attended by the DM&R Minister, Prof. Lalnilawma.

Minister Prof. Lalnilawma stated that it was encouraging to see the successful conduct of the mock exercise aimed at testing preparedness and response mechanisms in the event of an earthquake across Mizoram. He said that the exercise was successfully carried out due to effective coordination among various State Government departments, Central Government agencies, and volunteers. Referring to the latest seismic zonation issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which places the entire North Eastern region of India in Zone VI, he emphasized that training and rehearsal for earthquake response are extremely important.

The Minister further highlighted the importance of inter-state coordination in such initiatives and expressed appreciation for the participation of the Assam State Disaster Response Force in the mock exercise conducted in Kolasib district. He also stressed the need for an Early Warning System for potential disasters and stated that, in addition to the existing equipment used for rescue and relief operations, there is a need to acquire more advanced and improved resources.

The debriefing meeting was chaired by Brig. Ravinder Gurung (Retd), Senior Consultant (ME&IRS), NDMA, Government of India. District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) from all districts joined the meeting through video conference. DDMA Chairpersons and district-level head observers presented reports on the conduct of the mock exercise, lessons learned, areas requiring improvement, and their suggestions. Chief Observer Pu P.C. Lallawmsanga, IPS (Retd), Former Principal Secretary, DM&R, also shared his observations and recommendations based on the mock exercise.

Brig. Ravinder Gurung (Retd), in his address, appreciated the commitment and sincerity with which all participants involved in the mock exercise carried out their roles. He described it as one of the most effective and successful mock exercises, noting the strong coordination among Central agencies, State departments, and volunteers. He reiterated that earthquakes pose the greatest disaster risk in Mizoram and expressed appreciation for NDMA’s initiative in organizing such an important mock exercise.