Tsunami Preparedness Boost for Gujarat's Rapar Garh Village

In a significant push towards disaster readiness, Rapar Garh village in Gujarat's Kachchh participated in a tsunami mock drill, enhancing its preparedness as part of the UNESCO Tsunami-Ready Recognition Programme. The initiative, involving multiple agencies, aims to boost the village's resilience against potential natural calamities.

On Tuesday morning, at approximately 9:40 AM, the village of Rapar Garh in Gujarat's Kachchh district was enveloped in a state of prepared calm as residents participated in a mock evacuation drill. Orchestrated by various agencies, including the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority and Reliance Foundation, the exercise aimed to certify the village as 'Tsunami-Ready' under UNESCO's recognition program.

The village, located along the prone-to-disaster Pingleshwar coastline, faces vulnerabilities to tsunamis, cyclones, and earthquakes, as well as significant changes in rainfall patterns. Efforts by Reliance Foundation have seen the village enhance its disaster management strategies, conduct vulnerability assessments, and organize evacuation drills. The recent exercise involved a simulated 9.03-magnitude earthquake off Sumatra, necessitating evacuation to designated shelters.

In all, 290 villagers, including children and the elderly, were evacuated with the assistance of essential service personnel. This drill, supported by surveillance from marine police and structured evacuation route maps, marks a significant stride in increasing community resilience. The ultimate goal is to boost the coordination between government entities and local residents, enhancing the efficacy of real-time disaster responses.

(With inputs from agencies.)