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'Black smoke, multiple emergency alerts’: Indian mom’s firsthand account of Bahrain’s sudden emergency
After the joint Israel-US strikes, US bases across the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar were hit by Iran.
Bahrain remains on high alert following the joint Israel-US strikes on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation. Mukta Ghosh, an Indian expat in Bahrain’s Bu Ghazal, who witnessed the crisis in the island nation unfold firsthand, recalled the moment in a conversation with HT.com.
She shared how she spotted thick black smoke from her balcony. The sight was immediately followed by a government emergency alert on her phone, ordering all residents to stay indoors and avoid the roads.
“I heard noises. After going out to check on my balcony, I saw black smoke in the sky. Instantly, we got an emergency alert on my phone from the ministry, alerting everyone to stay inside and to avoid unnecessary driving outside,” she told HT.com.
As the alerts began, Ghosh was at home with her younger child while her eldest son was at his tuition center. She quickly contacted his teacher, who eased her fears by promising that no child would be allowed to leave the safety of the center until a parent arrived to pick them up. She recalled that at the time, her husband was in Sitra, an island about 5 km south of the capital, Manama.
“My husband was in Sitra, and my elder son was in tuition, which is in Manama. I was at home with my younger son. My home is in Bu Ghazal. I spoke to my son's tutor, and she didn't leave the children until the respected parents came to pick them up. Later, I went to pick my son up from his tuition,” she shared.
While Ghosh was recounting her story, she received another alert from the government, instructing residents to stay indoors. “Right now, we received another emergency alert. I heard a few sounds too.”
What is happening in Bahrain?
According to the authorities, a missile strike targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. The island nation’s Interior Ministry said that it has already started evacuating residents near the Juffair area, where a US naval base is located.
“We urge your cooperation with the relevant authorities,” the ministry said.
Not just in Bahrain; loud blasts were also heard by residents of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Amid the unrest, several airspaces across the Middle East have been closed.
