ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) concluded a two-day “Winter Freeze” simulation exercise (SimEx) on Wednesday to strengthen the country’s disaster preparedness and response mechanism against winter-related disasters such as cold weather, smog and earthquakes.
Simulation exercises are used to test and improve a community’s preparedness for disasters and help it prepare contingency plans.
Pakistan is ranked as the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. In 2022, devastating floods affected over 33 million people and caused economic losses exceeding $30 billion, highlighting the country’s high susceptibility to extreme weather events.
“The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a National Simulation Exercise (SimEx), titled ‘Winter Freeze’ from 3rd to 4th December 2024 at NDMA HQs,” the NDMA said.
It said the simulation included a series of challenging scenarios such as a severe blizzard hitting Pakistan’s northern areas that triggered snowstorms, road blockages and power outages and caused tourists to be stranded in different parts of the country.
“The exercise also simulated a major earthquake in northern Balochistan and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, testing the effectiveness of rescue operations, medical response and mobilization of humanitarian response in remote areas,” the authority said.
Heavy smog covered parts of Pakistan’s Punjab province in October and November while the country has suffered from devastating earthquakes, floods and other disasters in the past.
The simulation also addressed severe smog conditions in Punjab, particularly in Lahore, focusing on the health impacts, emergency medical responses and measures to prevent the dangers of air pollution, the NDMA added.
The provincial disaster management authorities, the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), law enforcement bodies and representatives of humanitarian organizations participated in the exercise.
“Participants acknowledged the platform provided by NDMA for preparedness and timely measures to deal with disasters and also gave their feedback and suggestions so that possible future disasters can be avoided,” the NDMA said.
