Tourists in the Canary Islands have been issued a warning as an alert message is set to be sent out to their mobile phones. Scheduled for September 26, an island-wide message will be broadcast, prompting caution among visitors. The Tourism Board of the Canary Islands has advised all individuals to remain vigilant as the Government conducts a test of an emergency warning system between 10am and midday local time.
While the test is primarily aimed at Gran Canaria, phones in Tenerife and Fuerteventura may also receive the alert. The Tourism Board emphasised the importance of paying attention for anyone on Gran Canaria and urged businesses to inform their clients about the upcoming test. The notification will manifest as an alert on all mobile devices within the area during the designated timeframe. By selecting ACCEPT, the alert will cease ringing.
For devices with languages other than Spanish, the notification will appear in English. Furthermore, vessels near the island’s coastline, the east coast of Tenerife, and the south of Fuerteventura may also receive the alert. The ES-Alert system, previously trialled in other Canary Islands like Fuerteventura, El Hierro, La Palma, Lanzarote, and La Gomera, is designed to disseminate civil protection alerts to most mobile phones with an active data connection.
The feature is automatically activated on devices running Android version 11 or higher, or iOS version 15.6 or higher, as reported by the Manchester Evening News. The Government of the Canary Islands explained that all 4G and 5G mobile phones within the coverage area will receive a text message with the word “TEST,” accompanied by a beep and vibration. Upon reading the message and pressing “Accept,” the alert will disappear, and individuals are not required to respond or contact emergency services.
Residents were reassured not to panic upon receiving the alert and advised that drivers pull over in a safe location to read and acknowledge the message. The Government also suggested explaining the alert system to elderly relatives to prevent unnecessary alarm. The ES-Alert system, previously utilised during forest fires in La Palma and Tenerife, serves to provide crucial safety instructions to citizens in the event of disasters such as fires, floods, volcanic eruptions, or severe weather conditions.
This trial is being coordinated by the Government of the Canary Islands in conjunction with the General Directorate of Emergencies and the Emergency and Security Coordination Center (CECOES) 112, collaborating with the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the island’s 21 municipalities, and the General Directorate of Civil Protection and State Emergencies.