Thiruvananthapuram: High-risk emergency evacuations were part of the afternoon civil defence mock drills that were held in 126 locations across Kerala on May 7. Government offices, including the Secretariat, shopping malls, hospitals, popular theatres, and residential apartments, were made part of the statewide simulated emergency conditions. 

The early morning Indian attack on Pakistani targets had given the mock drills a sense of urgency. "Yesterday, when we were told of the drill, we had thought of it in a very casual manner. But today, after the Indian retaliation, war looked like a possibility. So it was with great earnestness, and a bit of trepidation, that we went through with the drill. We were also told by the senior KSDMA (Kerala State Disaster Management Authority) officials to go about our assigned tasks as if it were a real emergency," said one of the civil defence volunteers who participated in the drill at the Secretariat.

Before the mock drills began, the participants were given awareness classes. In most of the collectorates across Kerala, senior officers including district collectors and staff were told how to respond to three kinds of emergencies: air raid, fire break out and building collapse. Household members and shoppers were also provided the same crash course on emergency response. 

At sharp 4 pm, long sirens were sounded thrice. In certain busy, population-dense areas like town centres, loudspeakers of places of worship in the vicinity were also used to declare the start of the mock drill. The KSDMA said that its sirens were sounded in 100 locations. 

Once the alert of an imminent air raid was received, people inside public offices and residential flats quickly closed the windows and doors, switched off the power supply and together moved to rooms designated as safe zones. In the case of shopping malls, this was done by their staff. Blackout protocols were strictly adhered to inside the offices, apartments and malls chosen for the mock drill. Solar or battery-powered torches were kept ready, first aid kits too were arranged, and mobiles were generally kept covered so that no luminescence from them could be spotted outside.

The response to a fire breakout was the next exercise in the drill. A minor fire was created in a corner of a building, from which spread a blinding smoke. Two or three participants then faked unconsciousness. Civil defence volunteers then swung into action, carrying the unconscious and the 'burnt' victims down the stairs either in a stretcher or on their shoulders. The 'injured' were first rushed to a makeshift first aid post at the base of the building and then immediately shifted to waiting ambulances. The fire and rescue vehicles soon filled the premises and the firefighting mission began. 

In certain areas like multi-storied shopping malls, firemen were seen scaling the steep walls on ropes and shifting those 'trapped' on the upper floors on cloth stretchers fitted on aerial ropes that slanted below towards the ambulances. The drill came to an end half an hour later with the sounding of short sirens. 

The drill involved personnel from Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, the State Police, disaster management teams, civil defence forces, and the Revenue Department. 

​Peaceful otherwise
Except for the simulated emergencies, Kerala was largely peaceful. Flight and train operations were not affected. Most of the flights in the major international airports in Kerala landed and departed on time. 

Nonetheless, considering the volatility of the situation, passenger advisories were issued. "In view of airspace restrictions and closure of certain airports across the country, flight operations may be impacted. We urge passengers to check with their airlines for the latest flight status before travelling to the airport," the Thiruvananthapuram Airport advisory said.