NDMA to conduct mega earthquake drill in eights NE states

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will hold a multi-stage mega mock drill in eight north-eastern states in two phases to check the preparedness of various agencies in case of a high magnitude earthquake.
"Th drill will start simultaneously at 11:30 am in all state capitals and nominated district headquarters. We have selected five spots in each of these places," NDMA Vice Chairman M Shashidhar Reddy told reporters here.
In the first phase tomorrow, the drill will be conducted in Guwahati and Jorhat in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Sikkim, he said.
The second phase will cover Cachar district in Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Nagaland, he said.

In each of these places, hospital, residential apartments, schools, office buildings and shopping malls have been identified for the exercise, Reddy said.
The NDMA along with state authorities will repeat the 1897 Shillong earthquake of 8.7 magnitude under hypothetical circumstances.
"It is hoped that through the active participation of the state governments and public, earthquake hazard mitigation and response capabilities will improve considerably in this region," Reddy said.