In brief

New “Tsunami alert” drill planned in Alpes-Maritimes

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A warning message will be sent by phone © Pixabay

It will take place on Friday 19 January, from 10am to noon..

At the end of the week, the Alpes-Maritimes Préfecture will be organising a “tsunami” warning exercise for the population using the new “FR-Alert” information system, which broadcasts a warning message, as well as an audible signal, to mobile phones. The system was used recently when storm Aline hit the Alpes-Maritimes.

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As the warning message is broadcast along the French coast via telecoms operators’ relay antennas, some ‘geographical spillover’ cannot be ruled out, with the message perhaps also being sent to residents in the Principality of Monaco. As this is a simple exercise, the alert message does not require the public to respond or take shelter. There is therefore no need to tie up the 18 and 112 emergency lines to obtain information.