Nuclear panic as emergency planners and water company scare residents

Loud hailer announcements by a water company and a leaflet advising what to do during a radiation leak caused fears of a nuclear catastrophe in Dorset. Emergency services in Portland were inundated with calls when Wessex Water officials used a hailer to inform residents of a cut to services.

Meanwhile, leaflets had been delivered advising people what to do during a radiation emergency at the nearby port. The leaflets were distributed as part of a Nuclear Accident Emergency Plan exercise at Portland Port on Wednesday evening.


Photo from here. With more photos.

They advised people in the area to stay indoors, put out fires and boilers, take potassium iodate tablets if they had been issued and wait for the all clear. However, in an unconnected event, the water company used a loud hailer to inform residents their water was being turned off.

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? I was frightened to death."