Follow safety instructions after Aglona cell broadcast alerts

LSM has outlined how people attending the Aglona festivities should respond to cell broadcast warnings about an airspace threat, with thousands of people gathering in the event grounds.

The National Armed Forces uses two levels of cell broadcast alerts to report airspace threats in Latvia:

• A yellow warning calls on people to remain calm, stay alert and follow further instructions.
• An orange warning requires immediate action. Recipients should read the entire message and follow its instructions precisely.

What to do during an orange warning

If you are inside a building, use a shelter if one is available. If there is no shelter, follow the two-wall principle by finding a place separated from the outside by at least two walls. Stay as far as possible from windows, glass, exterior walls and doors.

If you are outdoors, go to the nearest building. If that is not possible, seek natural or artificial cover, such as a ditch, depression, embankment, wall or another obstacle.

People should remain calm and follow the instructions of the emergency services. Phones should be switched on and able to receive further notifications.

If people are ordered to leave the festival grounds, they should do so in an orderly manner and follow police instructions. Organisers also recommend parking vehicles so that Aglona can be left without unnecessary delay if needed.

Advice from emergency services

If you are indoors in the threatened area, hide in a place where at least two walls stand between you and the outside of the building.

If you are in a car, assess the situation. Continue to a safe place or get out immediately, move away from the road and seek the nearest shelter.

If you hear an explosion, remain indoors and stay away from windows and doors.

Several services are responsible for security during the Aglona festivities. In an emergency, people should not make hasty decisions but listen to instructions from the police, rescue services and event organisers.

The National Armed Forces has previously warned that while Russia’s aggression against Ukraine continues, incidents involving a foreign unmanned aircraft entering or approaching Latvian airspace may recur.