At Sikkim's State Disaster Risk Reduction Day programme the 2011 earthquake was recalled, and a 'Friday Safety Five' drill was highlighted

Background

The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority held State Disaster Risk Reduction Day 2026 at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok, on the theme 'Prepared Children, Resilient Future'. The chief guest recalled the Sikkim earthquake of 18 September 2011 as a lasting reminder of the State's vulnerability. He said the 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood further highlighted the changing and complex nature of risks in the Himalayan region. Under the Friday Safety Five programme, schools, ICDS centres and Anganwadi centres give five minutes every Friday to mock drills, hazard identification and evacuation practice. A longitudinal study, 'From Multi-Hazard Risk to Resilience', was launched with Amrita University, IIT Roorkee and Sikkim University.