Recognizing the necessity of conducting and continuously updating HVRA in the state, the GoI-UNDP Disaster Risk Reduction Programme in collaboration with the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management conducted a consultation workshop on 4-5 October 2010. Based on the conclusions and recommendations of this national workshop, the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management in consultation with the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment created the HVRA Cell as the research and technical laboratory of KSDMA under the scientific supervision of the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) in April 2011. The Cell became fully operational in March 2012.

On 20 January 2014 the Government converted HVRA Cell as the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC). The SEOC is also the research and technology laboratory of the SDMA and directly functions under the Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management. All administrative matters related to the SEOC are made by the State Executive Committee of KSDMA. Its day-to-day affairs are managed by Head, State Emergency Operations Centre.

 

It is also the State Drought Monitoring Cell [GO (Rt) No. 7228/2012/DMD dated 24/12/2012].

It is staffed with a multi-disciplinary scientific team, presently 21 member strong, spread over 14 districts. The SEOC implements a number of research and data collection projects and is also entrusted with the preparation of the State and District Disaster Management Plans. It also manages the GoI-UNDP project on Enhancing Institutional and Community Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change (2013–2017), Kerala.

The SEOC is permitted to collect any data from any Government Institution in the state on a no cost basis [GO (Rt) No. 3250/2011/DMD dated 29/07/2011].

The SEOC facilitates the updation of the HVRA of the State, prepare the State and District Disaster Management Plans, support the implementation of the early warning systems by Central Agencies as laid in the National Disaster Management Plan, undertake research projects and investigation reports on topics relevant to disaster risk reduction, foster research collaboration with external agencies, emergency coordination, preparation of calamity memorandum, prepare/support Post Disaster Need Assessments, prepare Orange Books of Disaster Management, Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines. The SEOC functions as groups: Fusion Centre, Risk Lab, Drought Monitoring Cell, IT & Communication Centre, Planning Group, Social Outreach Projects & Capacity Building Group. In times of emergency, all staff members of each of these groups are drafted into the Fusion Centre for 24 x 7 operations.