Defence Current Affairs: HADR Exercise Being Conducted by Indian Navy in Karwar

Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra reviewed the exercise at Karwar Naval Base which is a part of the Western Naval Command.

The annual joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise kick-started on 18th May 2017 involving multiple agencies. This year’s HADR exercise is being conducted by the Western Naval Command and has been code-named “KARAVALI KARUNYA”, meaning assistance to the Karnataka coast. Being held in Karnataka’s Karwar city, it will go on until 20th May 2017.

This current affair is important from written exam and SSB point of view

Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra reviewed the exercise at Karwar Naval Base which is a part of the Western Naval Command.

9 Key Points About this HADR Exercise

1. The exercise involves professional exchange and disaster response mechanisms set on a Tsunami disaster scenario and requires large scale mobilization of resources and coordination with various agencies.
2. Navy’s Dornier Aircraft demonstrated the capability of deploying life-rafts to save people who have been washed into the sea due to a tsunami while rescue of survivors were exercised by Chetak helicopters and boats.
3. Various organizations that took part in the exercise were Army, Navy, Air Force, Armed Forces Medical Corps, National Disaster Relief Force, State and district administration, BSNL, Red Cross, NCC among others.
4. The exercise is going on in two phases as planned – one for actions prior the and second after it has hit and devastated the coast.
5. A camp for Internally Displaced People was setup along with static display at Rabindranath Tagore Beach and was open to public from 3:00 PM on 19th May 2017.
6. Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lankan observers will also participate in the exercise. Rear Admiral KJ Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area, welcomed the delegates and stressed on the requirements of coordination and synergy between civil-military agencies in the event of a disaster.

The last recorded Tsunami on the west coast of India was on 27th November 1945.