LOC13:52
10:52 GMT
LONDON, March 13 (KUNA) -- Residents Saturday described how they barricaded
themselves into their homes after mistaking an emergency exercise for a
nuclear attack, the British media reported.
Elderly and vulnerable people bombarded emergency services with calls in
Portland, Dorset, southern England, fearful of bombs being dropped after
information booklets landed on their doorstep.
The leaflets, part of the Nuclear Accident Emergency Plan exercise last
Wednesday evening, advised residents what to do in the event of a radiation
emergency in Portland Port.
They were told to stay indoors and wait for the all clear, listen to local
news stations, put out fires and boilers and take potassium iodate tablets
only if they were issued with them.
The leaflets were dropped to 1,200 residents living within one mile of
Portland Port as part of the exercise, led by Dorset County Council, the Royal
Navy, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the local council and other nuclear
officials.
It also coincided with water officials making loud hailer announcements
about water being turned off.
Resident Vivien Hawkins, 78, said, "There was this awful noise. I opened
the front door and there was a loud speaker. It was so loud you couldn't hear
what he was saying. Just after that a leaflet came through the door telling
you what to do - douse all fires, close all windows.
"I thought what are you supposed to do? Freeze? "We should have had a
letter come through before all this went on. I was frightened to death. I
didn't know what was happening. I rang my son and he said 'Have they got a
submarine in Portland Port that's leaking?'," she told the media.
Local authorities have a statutory duty laid down by government to plan and
prepare for emergency situations, they said. Dorset County Council said it was
an update of an exercise three years ago and residents were told via the local
newspaper and radio that it was happening. (end)
he.ema
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