Everyone to get mobile phone alert as sirens sound for 10 seconds
The UK Government is to send an emergency alert to revert mobile phone in the UK, with a message taking over the screen and a loud siren sounding for 10 seconds. The alarm will come from a system that was launched in 2023 to alert people across the country to immediate threats.
According to the Sun, this will be a nationwide test of the system - designed to tell people if they are at risk of everything from extreme weather to disease and war. The message will read: "Severe Alert. This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby.
"In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.", reports the Express.
During the 2023 test, people reported the alarm being loud' and frightening. The test signal will be sent later this year on a date to be set, and will be tested every two years to make sure it is still working.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "This system is not designed to cause panic, but to ensure people are aware of imminent threats and can act quickly.This test is part of building national resilience and saving lives in future crises."
The system has already been used in real-world situations. Earlier this year four million people got an alert ahead of Storm Eowyn smashing into the UK. Three million were sent a message ahead of Storm Darragh in 2024.
Roger Hargreaves, director of the Cobra emergencies committee unit at the Cabinet Office, told MPs in 2023: 'It is international standard practice to do regular test messages. I think there is a case for doing it every two years, but we haven't got a ministerial decision on that. Every two years is what we would probably advise ministers but we're yet to get a view on that.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
We were forced to abandon flooded homes – now we've been sent huge tax bills for empty properties
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOCKED Storm Babet victims have been sent huge council tax bills — for empty houses. Householders were initially told the charges were being waived after they were forced out by devastating floods. 4 Storm Babet in October 2023 caused the River South Esk in Brechin, to burst its banks Credit: Alamy 4 Hundreds of homes were evacuated and devastated due to flooding Credit: Alamy 4 Members of the emergency services during the rescue efforts in Brechin, as Storm Babet battered the country Credit: PA Now officials have scrapped the exemption in Brechin two years on and are demanding immediate payments. One stunned homeowner was billed more than £2,300 for a house she has not lived in since October 2023. S He has been in temporary accommodation after fleeing when the River Esk burst its banks and poured into streets as a month's worth of rain fell in two days. The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Scottish Sun: 'It was scary when the invoices arrived. 'I've got no idea how I'm going to pay this. I don't know anyone who has that kind of money sitting about in their bank account.' She revealed officials had repeatedly reassured her she would not have to pay council tax as she is registered for bills at her new digs. But a demand for almost £700 arrived to cover charges backdated to October 2024. Along with that came her next annual bill of £1,702. The resident remains in talks with officials and said they have agreed to pause the charges for now. She hit out: 'Why should I have to pay for services that I've not been getting for almost two years? My house doesn't have water or sewage, there's no power and no bins are being collected. It's nuts. We told how council tenants were rehomed but private occupants faced a nightmare with some still not back in their homes. Spain storm and hail warning as 100mm of rain falls in an hour at tourist hotspot Angus Council bosses revealed £485,000 in council tax and rent payments has been lost due to the storms. They said exemptions expired after 12 months. A spokesman said: 'There was a deliberate pause in re-billing. Officers will look at all of the affected cases and at each householder's particular circumstances.'
The Independent
13 hours ago
- The Independent
Typhoon Wipha: Hong Kong issues highest storm alert after over 200 flights cancelled
Hong Kong issued its highest storm warning on Sunday morning as the Chinese city braced for typhoon Wipha. The typhoon, packing winds of over 167kmph, brought heavy rain and strong wind to the Asian financial hub, forcing the cancellation of more than 200 flights. The Hong Kong Observatory raised the storm signal to No 10 at 9.20am local time and it was expected to remain at that level for some time. Hong Kong last raised its No 10 signal in September 2023 when it was pummeled by typhoon Saola. Wipha is expected to pass the city about 50km to the south with wind speeds of 118kmph, the observatory said, adding hurricane-force wind is affecting the southern areas. All flights scheduled for arrival and departure at the Hong Kong airport were either cancelled or delayed till 6pm local time on Sunday. Cathay Pacific Airways cancelled all flights to and from Hong Kong between 5am and 6pm. The airline waived ticket change fees and made arrangements for customers to rebook. Most public transport was suspended on Sunday, including ferries amid high sea swells. The education bureau suspended all special classes and other school events on Sunday. The government said more than 200 people had headed to public shelters and it had received several reports of fallen trees. Hong Kong Disneyland and other amusement parks were also closed. Wipha, which reached typhoon strength overnight, was headed towards Macau and the neighboring Chinese city of Zhuhai. It is forecast to make landfall late Sunday and continue moving west, reaching Vietnam later this week. In southern China, the typhoon prompted the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people and cancellation of flights. The China Meteorological Administration issued its second highest level of typhoon warning, expecting Wipha to make a landfall. Wipha, a Thai name, passed over the Philippines at tropical storm strength and drenched parts of Taiwan on Saturday. In the Philippines, the storm intensified seasonal monsoon rains, leaving at least a villager dead in floodwaters in northern Cagayan province.
The Independent
15 hours ago
- The Independent
Vietnam tour boat survivor describes his escape
A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay described his escape from the overturned vessel. At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media. The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew. But a storm quickly covered the sky, bringing high winds and pouring rain, survivor Dang Anh Tuan told The Associated Press. Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward. 'It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned,' the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said. ' Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.' 'I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down. I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help,' he said. Tuan and three others survived by clinging on to the capsized boat and its propellers, waited out another two hours until the rain stopped and rescued arrived. Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said. The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said. A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull. The newspaper said that most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children. Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived. Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple injuries in his head and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window. The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was traveling with his wife and 3-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned. A tropical storm is also moving toward the area. A national weather forecast said that Storm Wipha is expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast. ___ AP writer Huy Han contributed to this report.
