This morning’s shake that hit the Bay of Plenty this morning is a timely one given civil defence tested its emergency mobile alert tonight.
The alert was expected to sound on four million mobile phones across the country.
“We’re really looking for around two thirds of New Zealanders to be able to receive this on their mobile phones,” Civil Defence director Sarah Stuart-Black said before the alert.
A special app is not needed to receive the message from Civil Defence.
It is linked to a special broadcast channel which is permanently on and can be used by a variety of agencies such as fire, police and the ministry of health.
The emergency alert was last used for real during Auckland’s Convention city fire.
“It was used over a small area around where the convention centre was so if you weren’t in that immediate are you wouldn’t have got the message on your phone, but if you were walking in and entered that area you would receive the information on your phone notifying you of the threat to your health because of the acrid smoke,” Ms Stuart Black said.
While tonight’s alert was sent nationwide, Civil Defence doesn’t expect blanket coverage.
“If you have an old mobile phone it’s less likely,” Ms Stuart-Black said.
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