The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has tested its Emergency Mobile Alert system tonight.
Over 90% of Kiwis were expected to hear the familiar, jarring alarm that has been previously used in mobile warnings during weather events and Covid alert level changes.
The test, sent out just after 6.15pm, is designed to check systems, cell towers and mobile devices' ability to receive an emergency alert.
NEMA expects the test to trigger on more than five million phones across Aotearoa.
Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said in a statement that any mobile device with a network signal would receive the test alerts, and in a real-life scenario, the alert may be targeted at areas affected by "serious hazards".
"If you get an alert, stop, and read the message, and take it seriously. It will tell you what the emergency is and what to do. It will also tell you which agency sent the message and, if needed where to go for more information," he said.
Despite the country's familiarity with the test, McAnulty said it can still come as a shock to some.
"Please let your family members know. Most of us will be familiar with the system and alert sound.
"Most people would have already received them before in a real-life emergency, whether that’s a tsunami, severe weather, a fire, a chemical leak, a boil water notice, or a Covid-19 alert level rise," he said in a statement.
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