Laurence Dollimore
BRITISH expats in Malaga reported being ‘terrified’ on Tuesday night after their phones suddenly began emitting an incredibly loud ringing sound.
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The alarm, described as ‘extremely painful to the ears’, was part of a message sent from the government to thousands of people across the Costa del Sol and other parts of the province, including the Axarquia.
It came after state weather agency issued a red alert for both regions for ‘extreme rainfall’, which will begin at 10am on Wednesday and last until at least 11.59pm.
One British expat told the Olive Press: “I just got an alert on my phone, it frightened the c**p out of us!
“It flashed up like an alarm and made this horrible beeping sound that was painful to the ears.”
READ MORE: Red alert sparks ‘preventative evacuations’ in parts of Malaga
Another said: “I nearly spilled my tea all over me, the sound was like something out an apocalypse film, but it’s fair to say we are all bl***y aware now!”
Most of the alerts were sent between 10.35pm and 10.40pm, although many received them as late as 10.55pm.
They are part of the Proteccion Civil force’s new Es-Alert system, which had never before been used in Malaga, until now.
The message was in Spanish and English, given the large British and foreign population who speak the language.
It read: “Civil alert… Red warning activated (Aemet), extreme risk of rainfall… be very cautious, avoid travel and follow the advice of 112.”
It also offered links for those who wanted to seek more information.
