Cyprus’s new public emergency warning system, CY-Alert, launches on June 2, with test alerts to be sent to mobile phones in selected communities across the island until June 15, the Civil Defence Force has announced.
The system is designed to notify people in affected areas in real time during emergencies and disasters, giving them time to take protective measures for their lives and property.
Test alerts will be marked “TEST – TEST – TEST” or “EXERCISE – EXERCISE – EXERCISE” and will be accompanied by a loud sound and vibration. Alerts carrying either of these labels are not real and require no action from the public.
Test schedule
- Tuesday, June 2, 11am–12pm: communities of Pissouri and Moniatis
- Tuesday, June 2, 4pm–5pm: community of Psevdas
- Sunday, June 7, 10am–11am: communities of Argaka, Avgorou and Ora
- Wednesday, June 10, 4pm–5pm: communities of Fini and Kalopanayiotis
- Monday, June 15, 3pm–4pm: island-wide alert for a missing person
The Civil Defence notes that alerts may also reach communities neighbouring the listed locations.
The June 15 test is island-wide and will simulate a missing person alert — a distinct type of notification from the earlier localised emergency tests.
How to receive alerts
To receive CY-Alert notifications, residents must activate the relevant settings on their mobile devices. Guidance on how to do so is available by calling 1450. Video instructions are also available on the Civil Defence Force’s official social media accounts.