To assist Japan in its Tsunami disaster relief operations in the wake of recent earthquake followed by Tsunami that devastated various parts of Japan, a 46 member team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel from India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is in Tokyo for relief and rehabilitation work.
The contingent commander of this team is Alok Avasthy. The Government of Japan had requested for the deployment of the NDRF team for relief and rehabilitation work to the Government of India. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had kept an NDRF team in readiness to be sent to Japan for search, rescue and relief operations.
The team is equipped with the latest state-of-the art gear for radiation monitoring, detection and personal safety equipments and thus they are self contained in terms of nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) suits, emergency rations and essential medicines. The team is carrying satellite phones for international calls and other communication equipments for the purpose of squad to squad communication during deployment.
The team would be deployed in the town of Rifu-Cho which is 365 kms north of Tokyo for a duration of approximately 10-12 days and they would be staying at Miyagi Prefecture Sports Complex in Tohoku region on Honshu Island. The NDRF team will assist the local authorities of the town in relief and rehabilitation activities.
Speaking to the NDRF team today, M. Shashidhar Reddy, vice chairman, NDMA said that NDRF has become the public face of NDMA. This is the first time that a team of NDRF is being deployed outside the country, he said. Reddy expressed confidence that the team will do exemplary work and bring laurels for the Country.
