Civil defence mock drill: Smoke bombs used to test preparedness in Old City

Several onlookers gather at twin tower buildings in Champapet to witness the drill and familiarise themselves on how to deal when there is an air strike

Hyderabad: A well-coordinated mock drill was organised by various stakeholders at twin tower buildings in Champapet on Wednesday at 4 pm.

At sharp 4 pm, the police vehicles activated the sirens alerting the public about an air raid in the city. Soon the people on the roads rushed and took shelter under buildings while a few managed to get into the cellar of the buildings.

At twin tower buildings, as part of the drill, a few smoke bombs were exploded to simulate an air strike on the building. A few minutes after the attack, fire tenders, ambulances and local police vehicles rushed to the spot. As the panicked people rushed out of the buildings, the firemen started dousing the fire, while the paramedics carried the people on stretchers and on hands and shifted the injured into the ambulances and rushed to hospital.

The State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force personnel rushed to the spot and started the rescue efforts. The persons who were trapped in the buildings were rescued and shifted to safe shelters in TGSRTC buses. A school at Kanchanbagh was designated as a safe house and the people were rushed to the place.

Several onlookers gathered to witness the mock drill and familiarise themselves on how to deal when there is an air strike.