Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, April 23 

Authorities in parts of Jammu and Kashmir will conduct air raid mock drills and blackout exercises on Friday to strengthen emergency preparedness and civil defence response, officials said.

The District Disaster Management Authorities in Shopian and Baramulla have scheduled large-scale exercises involving multiple agencies, including police, disaster response units, fire services and health departments.

In Shopian, the drill will be held at Government Degree College Shopian in two phases, with a simulated air raid exercise at 1400 hours followed by a blackout from 2000 to 2010 hours.

In Baramulla, similar drills are planned at Showkat Ali Stadium, with the mock exercise scheduled for 1200 hours and a blackout at 2000 hours.

Officials said the exercises would simulate scenarios such as air raid sirens, evacuations, search and rescue operations, casualty management and inter-agency coordination under standard operating procedures. Communication systems, rapid deployment of resources and public safety protocols will also be tested.

Authorities said the drills are precautionary and part of routine preparedness measures, urging residents not to panic and to follow official instructions, including switching off lights during the designated blackout period.

Movement around the exercise sites may be temporarily regulated, officials said, advising the public to avoid spreading misinformation and to rely on official updates.

Separately, police conducted a mock drill at Government Degree College Ganderbal to enhance public readiness during blackout and emergency situations. The exercise involved civil administration, State Disaster Response Force and traffic police, focusing on coordinated response and swift action.

A district-wide blackout exercise in Ganderbal is also scheduled from 2000 to 2010 hours, officials said, adding that such initiatives are aimed at improving disaster readiness among both authorities and civilians.