The Dutch government has reminded people in the Netherlands that the emergency sirens will go off as normal on March 7, and has urged people to remain calm.

People in the Netherlands urged to stay calm during siren testing

At 12pm on the first Monday of every month, a test is carried out on all 4.278 emergency sirens across the Netherlands. The test lasts a total of 1 minute and 26 seconds, and is designed to ensure that all citizens and residents can “recognise the sound in the event of a disaster or major incident.” 

The test will be carried out as normal on Monday, March 7 - but this time the Dutch government has made sure to issue an additional warning to remind the public: “Because of the war in Ukraine, unrest could be caused by the sounding of the sirens. That is why the government is announcing the monthly test.”

In the case of a real emergency, the sirens will blare for a longer period of time and will go off several times in succession. Should this ever happen, members of the public are asked to remain indoors, close all doors and windows, and switch off electronic ventilation systems.