Prayagraj: Ahead of the monsoon season, a comprehensive state-level flood-rescue mock drill was conducted across various parts of the district on Thursday to assess preparedness and response mechanisms.As part of the initiative, teams from the district administration, SDRF, Civil Defence, health, police and other agencies participated in live flood-rescue drills. The primary objective was to ensure a rapid response during floods and to expedite the delivery of relief to the public.The drills were conducted at VIP Ghat, the Sangam area and Qila Ghat, demonstrating techniques to safely evacuate people trapped in floods.Similarly, in Soraon, Phulpur, Bara, Karchhana, Handia and Meja, rescue teams equipped with state-of-the-art boats and life jackets were on high alert and conducted operations like shifting villagers stranded by floodwaters to safe locations.Flood outposts have been activated and preparations — ranging from the availability of relief supplies and the setup of camps to the deployment of medical teams — were being evaluated. “These mock exercises not only test administrative preparedness but also strengthen inter-departmental coordination among health, revenue, police and disaster management agencies,” officials said and emphasised that every second counts during an emergency, and this drill will prove to be a milestone in tackling any future crises.In Fatehpur district, a mock drill was conducted at Bindki Farm village, under the limits of Aung Police Station. The effectiveness of relief and rescue operations and inter-departmental coordination in light of potential flood conditions was checked.Fatehpur district magistrate, Nidhi Gupta Vats, and SP, Abhimanyu Manglik, participated in the drill, inspected the arrangements and issued necessary directives to officials concerned.During the drill, various departments demonstrated the relief and rescue operations to be undertaken at the time of a disaster in the flood-prone areas. The exercise included practising the beneficiary registration process and demonstrating the operation of relief camps, distribution of foodgrains and essential supplies, the provision of medical aid, security arrangements and other necessary measures.Additionally, a scenario involving a building collapse was simulated to practise how individuals trapped in a building — damaged or collapsed due to strong winds, rain, or floods — would be rescued and provided with immediate medical assistance.Throughout the exercise, all procedures related to search and rescue, first aid and transportation of the injured to the hospital were successfully demonstrated.
