Lithuania is holding a national civil protection exercise on Monday to simulate an accident at the Astravyets nuclear power plant in Belarus, as well as to test the warning system for the population in the morning. People have received warning messages on their phones.
The exercise, aimed at coordinating the actions of the Crisis Management and Civil Protection System entities in the event of a nuclear accident in Lithuania’s vicinity, is taking place between 08:00 and 17:00.
According to the Fire and Rescue Department, the exercise is aimed at testing how national, municipal and other authorities are prepared to respond in the event of a possible nuclear accident, as well as to possible attacks on infrastructure or state institutions, and how the evacuation of the population from the area of operation of the emergency protective action would take place.
The exercise involves the National Security Commission, the National Crisis Management Centre, six ministries, five state institutions and bodies, all municipalities and seven non-governmental organisations.
The public warning and information system was tested at around 10:00, with sirens sounding for three minutes.
Short alert messages have also been sent to people’s mobile phones.
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