Shillong, May 6 (UNI) Air raid sirens will be heard across multiple locations in Meghalaya as part of a major nationwide civil defence mock drill on Wednesday, an official said on Tuesday.

The drill, which was last conducted in 1971 during the India-Pakistan war, would be conducted in coordination with the public to ensure preparedness for any potential emergency situations.

“The exercise would be conducted from 4 pm onwards. An air raid siren will be sounded at 6.30 pm and there will be a “black-out” (power-shutdown) for two minutes immediately after the siren is sounded,” Senior Staff Officer, Directorate of Civil Defence and Home Guards, Paul H Shylla said.

“The general public is requested not to panic as this is being done as part of a mock exercise for air raid,” Shylla said.

This exercise is being conducted in several cities of the country as there are possibilities of an air attack in the event of a war breaking out between India and Pakistan.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday asked several states to conduct mock drills on Wednesday in view of “new and complex threats” that have emerged amid rising tension with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

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