Personnel of the 1st battalion of the National Disaster Response Force participate in a district-level joint mock drill on earthquake at Barpeta in lower Assam on Thursday.

Around 650 people - from the district administration, volunteers, NGOs, 108 ambulance service and the Assam State Disaster Management Authority - participated in the drill.

Alok Kumar Singh, commandant of 1st Bn NDRF, said, 'These exercises should be frequently conducted in every district as the entire region falls under high-risk zone in terms of earthquake. Such drills make the district response system more effective.' Telegraph picture