Multi-agency exercise strengthens disaster preparedness and emergency response mechanisms ahead of monsoon season
Lucknow: In a major step towards enhancing disaster preparedness, a state-level Flood Mock Exercise 2026 was successfully conducted across 118 flood-prone tehsils in 44 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The exercise was organized under the coordination of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, and the Uttar Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (UPSDMA).
The large-scale simulation aimed to test and strengthen inter-departmental coordination, communication systems, resource mobilization, rescue operations, and emergency response mechanisms from village to state level in the event of severe flooding.
The exercise was launched from Yojana Bhawan in Lucknow, where flood-related alerts and simulated emergency scenarios were shared with participating districts and tehsils. District administrations subsequently activated their response systems in accordance with the Incident Response System (IRS) and established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
During the drill, authorities simulated a variety of flood-related situations, including inundated villages, stranded residents on rooftops and trees, boat accidents, damaged roads and bridges, communication breakdowns, and the spread of misinformation. Rescue teams demonstrated relief and evacuation measures, while temporary relief camps, flood control posts, command centres, field hospitals, and medical assistance units were also set up and operated as part of the exercise.
Senior Advisor to NDMA, Brigadier Ravindra Gurung, monitored and coordinated activities across districts through video conferencing from Lucknow. Officials from district administrations, police, health, irrigation, animal husbandry departments, along with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), actively participated and showcased effective coordination.
Vice Chairman of UPSDMA, Lieutenant General Yogendra Dimri (Retd.), conducted an on-ground inspection of the mock exercise in Bakshi Ka Talab (BKT) tehsil of Lucknow district. He reviewed rescue and relief operations, command-and-control arrangements, and inter-agency coordination. A field hospital established by the Indian Army was also inspected during the visit. He emphasized the need for maintaining updated preparedness measures to ensure swift and effective action during actual flood emergencies.
In the concluding review session held via video conference, officials discussed lessons learned, operational challenges, identified gaps, and potential improvements. Recommendations were shared to further strengthen flood preparedness and emergency response capabilities across the state.
As part of the Inter-State Resource Mobilisation initiative, SDRF teams from Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh participated in mock exercises conducted in Bareilly, Mathura, Gorakhpur, and Prayagraj respectively. Representatives from Assam, Haryana, and Punjab also joined the proceedings virtually from Lucknow.
Officials stated that the statewide flood preparedness exercise will significantly enhance Uttar Pradesh’s disaster response capacity, helping minimize loss of life and property while ensuring faster and more effective relief and rescue operations during real flood situations.
