Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, civil defence mock drills were conducted at 126 locations across all 14 districts in Kerala on Wednesday.
The drill emphasised community-level and household interventions during simulated wartime scenarios, involving personnel from Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, the State Police, disaster management teams, civil defence forces, and the Revenue Department. The drills were organized in crowded places including flats, shopping malls and cinema theatres.
The warning siren sounded as part of the mock drill at 4 pm. Soon, those inside flats and offices, as instructed earlier, switched off the lights, closed the windows, created a blackout and then moved away to a safe place away from the windows.
The sirens were controlled from the headquarters of the State Disaster Management Authority.
The closing siren sounded at exactly 4.28 pm and informed the people that the danger had passed and they could now safely exit. The mock drill that lasted half an hour showed how to evacuate people from the danger zone, how to stay safe in their homes, and how to provide first aid.
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday directed states to conduct civil defence mock drills on Wednesday. The exercise aims to enhance preparedness in the event of a hostile attack.
The Home Ministry has issued around ten directives to the states, including using air raid sirens to prevent aerial attacks, arranging facilities for emergency evacuation and accommodation, and conducting blackout drills by switching off lights at night.