Gran Canaria tourists will be hit by a surprise imminently as part of an island-wide emergency.
As part of the government’s emergency system trial, everyone on the island is urged to stay alert, particularly those with mobile phones with the emergency test scheduled for later today (September 26).
This alert will be sent to phones in the Canary Islands. However they may also hit mobile devices in Tenerife and Fuerteventura in Spain.
The island-wide emergency alert will ping on all 4G and 5G mobile devices.
The Canary Islands government advises what tourists must do when this emergency alert is delivered to their phones and the reason for this test.
“Pay attention if you are in Gran Canaria,” states the Canary Island tourism board.
“Take note to inform your clients. On September 26, a test of the ES-Alert system for emergencies will be carried out”.
They further explained these emergency alerts are scheduled between 10am and 12am and will affect all mobile phones in the area.
“By pressing ACCEPT, the alert will stop ringing. The notification will appear in English if the mobile phone’s language is not Spanish,” they further explained.
“The notice could also be received by: Vessels that are close to the island’s coastline, on the east coast of Tenerife and on the south of Fuerteventura.”
According to the Manchester Evening News, this emergency feature is activated by default on Android version 11 or higher devices or 15.6 or higher IOS devices.
An emergency alert system is secure and encrypted and provides quick communication during emergencies and critical incidents.
The emergency alert, as seen in the ES-Alert system, is designed to protect individuals by providing safety instructions in a time of disasters including fires, severe weather events, floods, or even volcanic eruptions.
The ES-Alert system has been tested in other Canary Islands before including Fuerteventura, La Palma, Lanzarote, El Hierro and La Gomera.
A link to a survey will also be sent after the test allowing for feedback.
“It is important that people who are driving do not become alarmed and stop the vehicle in a safe place to read the emergency message and press accept,” added the Spanish government.
“In the case of elderly relatives, it is advisable to explain to them what this alert system consists of to avoid alarming them.”
The Government of the Canary Islands, working with the General Directorate of Emergencies and the Emergency and Security Coordination Center (CECOES) conducted this ES-Alert system.
Future-proofing any emergency disasters for residents and tourists in the area will also see 21 municipalities on the island, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and the General Directorate of Civil Protection and State Emergencies also collaborating together to minimize any future risks.