EVERY mobile phone across the UK will be sent an emergency text alert next weekend.
Phones will emit a loud siren as part of the second test of the national emergency alert system.
This will be the first time it is tested nationwide since 2023.
Devices connected to 4G and 5G networks will emit a siren sound for up to 10 seconds at around 3pm on Sunday, September 7.
Mobile phones will also vibrate during the test, and users will be sent a message to make clear that the alert is a drill.
The Government has used the system to issue real warnings five times, including in January during Storm Eowyn to warn people in Scotland and Northern Ireland about severe weather.
Approximately 3.5 million people across Wales and south-west England received an alert during Storm Darragh last December.
A 500kg unexploded Second World War bomb found in a Plymouth back garden triggered a warning to some 50,000 phones in February last year.
Messages can be targeted to relatively small areas to pinpoint those at risk.
Some 15,000 phones were alerted during flooding in Cumbria in May 2024, and 10,000 received a warning during flooding in Leicestershire in January this year.
The system is designed for use during the most likely emergencies to affect the UK and warnings would also be transmitted on television, radio and locally by knocking on doors.
Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “On Sunday September 7, we will hold a UK-wide test of the Emergency Alerts system to ensure it works when we need it most.
“It is a vital tool for keeping the nation safe when lives are on the line – and every minute matters.
“During Storm Darragh and Storm Eowyn, as millions faced dangerous extreme weather, I saw first-hand how effective it was at getting life-saving advice to at-risk communities in an instant.
“We do not use the system often, but like the fire alarm in your home, it is always on standby should we need to act.”
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
GettyThe warning will emit a loud sound[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
