Lucknow News | Received an NDMA alert on your phones today? Here's what the text is about

If you, too, received the phone alert saying, "This is Geo Targeted Test Alert...by National Disaster Management Authority. No action needed", and are wondering what it is about, read on.

The Third Regional Conference of State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA) was organised under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Lucknow on November 30 and December 1 where emphasis was laid on strict vigilance and elevated awareness when it came to managing disaster effectively.

The event, hosted in collaboration with the state government, saw the participation of representatives from Bihar, Assam, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, besides numerous disaster management agencies.

Senior officials of NDMA, SDMA, and Uttar Pradesh Disaster Management Authority were instructed to be on alert. A presentation was shared and suggestions were exchanged by officials and disaster experts from various states on the subject of disaster mitigation.

Herein, it was decided that “prior awareness and vigilance are important to control the impact of disasters”. Thus, a test alert was sent to the residents today, which could in future be used to alert them if and when under the siege of a natural disaster.

A discussion also took place at the conference about including a course on disaster management in the school curriculum to make children cognisant of strategies they can use during calamities.

On the first day of the conclave, a detailed discussion was held on disaster management, mitigation, relief and rescue operations. Moreover, a ‘flood atlas’, created by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad, was inaugurated by the chief minister. While the second day saw discussions on natural disasters like soil erosion, drought, lightning strikes, floods and earthquakes.

The untimely deaths caused due to lightning strikes, road accidents, earthquakes, could be prevented if the right steps were taken and awareness was disseminated about the same. Measures like ‘Early Warning System’, to curb accidents due to lightning strikes, are expected to be implemented.

An exhibition was also organised by NDRF and SDRF during the conclave, where visitors were educated about their modern equipment.