Shimla, March 7 The Himachal Pradesh government will designate April 4 as Disaster Awareness Day, commemorating the devastating earthquake that struck Kangra in 1905, claiming over 20,000 lives, officials said on Saturday.
The Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) has decided to organize several activities from April 1 to 5 to enhance the capacity of institutions to respond to earthquakes and other disasters, they said.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake also resulted in the loss of 50,000 livestock.
These initiatives include an orientation program for school principals and administrators on the Kangra Earthquake, and the dissemination of earthquake safety guidelines (Do's and Don'ts) among students. The initiatives also include the ShakeOut Drill (Drop, Cover, and Hold), evacuation drills, and workshops on disaster preparedness, the officials added.
"Equipping students, teachers and school staff and officials with the necessary knowledge and skills will instill a culture of disaster preparedness and resilience, and the key decision makers will have a better understanding of seismic risks specific to the region so that they can implement necessary safety measures," they said.
The HPSDMA, in its first meeting on December 7, 2011, decided to conduct an annual Shake Out Drill in all government and private educational institutions to educate and prepare the younger generation for future disasters.
Himachal falls under seismic Zones IV (high risk) and V (very high risk) categories. As April 4 marks an occasion for raising awareness and sensitizing communities on disaster preparedness, a series of activities is proposed under the State-Wide Disaster Awareness Campaign-2026, the official added.
These activities will be conducted at the state, district, and community levels throughout April 2026 to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience.
