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The state government and the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) have launched a major campaign to test the preparedness to deal with natural disasters, especially earthquake threats, in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Today at exactly 11:00 am, earthquake warning sirens will be sounded simultaneously in the entire state. The Disaster Management Department has made a clear appeal to the citizens not to create any kind of panic, stampede or confusion after hearing the sound of siren. It is completely a pre-determined technical test (mock test). Its main objective is not to scare the general public, but to make them well acquainted with the sound of earthquake warning siren, so that in future, in case of real emergency, people can get alert immediately and reach safe places.
On October 6, an earthquake of 4.9 magnitude was felt in Tharali area of Chamoli district. Since most of Uttarakhand falls in ‘Seismic Zone-4’ and ‘Zone-5’ (high-risk areas) in terms of seismic sensitivity, the government has decided to make pre-disaster preparedness a part of the regular routine. After a high-level review conducted by Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan and Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, it has been decided that now On the 9th of every month at 11am sharp Regular mock testing of Earthquake Early Warning System will be conducted in the entire state.
Under this project, run with the technical support of IIT Roorkee, various sensitive areas of Uttarakhand are currently being 169 seismic sensor And 112 high-decibel siren Have been established. During this comprehensive test to be conducted today, the response timing of all these sirens and sensors will be checked by sending signals from the control room. If there is a complaint of network connectivity problem, technical fault or reduced sound in any hilly or remote area, then the technical team of disaster management will repair it immediately. The government plans to double this network, under which a proposal to install new sensors and sirens within a radius of every 5 to 10 kilometers is in progress.
Along with sirens, technical alerts will also be tested on smartphones of the general public. prepared by the state government ‘Bhudev’ mobile app A special ‘Test Warning Message’, strong vibration and a continuous ‘beep-beep’ sound will be heard on the phones of registered users of . The Disaster Management Department has urged all citizens to always keep the Bhudev app updated in their smartphones and keep its ‘location permission’ enabled forever, so that in the event of an actual earthquake, they can get life-saving warnings based on primary waves (P-waves) just seconds before the destructive waves (S-waves) reach them.
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman has appealed to the people to understand this system seriously and take the following precautions during the mock test:
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Recognize the sound: Listen carefully to the sound of sirens and mobile beeps so that in case of real emergency it can be identified immediately.
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Avoid rumours: Do not spread or believe any rumor of any untoward incident on social media or in the neighbourhood.
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Explain to children and elders: Tell the elders, women and children of the house in advance that this is only a technical investigation so that they do not get distracted by hearing the sudden sound.
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Remember the safety protocols: Practice the basic rule of ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold On’ during an earthquake and avoid using elevators.