The Telangana government, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority, conducted a State-level mock exercise on Monday to test preparedness and response mechanisms for floods, forest fires and industrial accidents across multiple districts.
The exercise, held for the second time in the State, was aimed at strengthening disaster response systems amid increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions that have led to sudden heavy rains, flash floods and forest fires, besides major industrial accidents in recent years.
Flood response mock drills were conducted in 13 districts, including Hyderabad, Khammam, Warangal, Kamareddy, Nizamabad, Jogulamba Gadwal, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Nirmal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Narayanpet, Mulugu, Wanaparthy and Hanumakonda.
Industrial accident response exercises were carried out in Sangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rangareddy and Nalgonda, while forest fire response drills were held in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad, Nagarkurnool, Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Bhadradri Kothagudem.
Officials said the primary objective was to test and strengthen preparedness at the State and district levels, operationalise Incident Response Systems, assess inter-departmental coordination and evaluate the effectiveness of emergency support functions.
The exercise also aimed to bring clarity to the roles of the State Disaster Management Authority, Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre (TGICCC), State Disaster Response Force, district collectors and other response agencies.
According to officials, the flood response drills tested the effectiveness of early warning and communication systems, identified operational gaps and reinforced the importance of timely evacuations, safe evacuation routes and shelter identification.
The mock exercises also assessed the readiness of emergency response teams, rescue equipment and logistical support while underlining the need for regular training and public awareness initiatives.
Industrial accident drills highlighted the importance of mutual aid among industries during chemical leaks and fire incidents, with officials stressing the need for clear standard operating procedures, better alarm systems and improved coordination with external agencies such as fire services, police and medical teams.
The forest fire exercises focused on raising awareness among communities living near forest areas about prevention, early reporting and safe practices, while also strengthening technical response capabilities and inter-departmental coordination.
Officials said the drills helped identify gaps in manpower, equipment and emergency resources, and significantly improved the confidence of response teams and stakeholders to handle real-life emergencies.
The exercises were conducted under the supervision of Director General of Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Vikram Singh Mann, Revenue Secretary Hari Chandana Dasari and Major General Sudhir Bahl, Lead Consultant with the NDMA, with participation from district collectors, line departments, volunteers and various state and central government agencies.