On Thursday, the Government sent an emergency alert to some 4.5 million people ahead of the arrival of Storm Éowyn – but some people complained it was ‘overkill’ and caused panic
Millions of people in Scotland received an emergency alert to their mobile phones after the Met Office issued a red danger to life warning for wind but Brits were left fuming at the ‘terrifying’ alerts.
The Cabinet Office alert at around 6pm on Thursday in response to Storm Éowyn was the largest real-life use of the emergency system to date. Compatible phones made a loud siren-like sound with the alert sent to 22 council areas in Scotland. It is estimated around 4.5 million people received it.
But some people who received the alert shared their frustration online as they claimed it left pets frightened, sparked panic and repeated loudly into the early hours of the morning. Last night, one wrote on X, formerly called Twitter: “Did the whole of Scotland collectively drop their phones over that really loud emergency weather alert?”
Another person said: “Still clinging to the ceiling light after switching on my phone to an emergency alert that near deafened me. Seems a bit like overkill when they give everyone a heart attack with their alerts.”
A dad tweeted: “My autistic daughter and her mates all got that emergency alert on their phones at the same time and they were all getting in touch with us in a panic. Sometimes I think those in power are even more stupid than I think they are but surely that is impossible?”
This morning, someone wrote at 8am: “Just got woke up by another emergency alert on my phone.” Another added: “Well that extreme alert thing on the phone scared the s***e out of me in the car. Personal phone and work one at the same time. Two dogs going mental.”
The areas where the alert was sent yesterday are: Clackmannanshire; Falkirk; Fife; Stirling; Dumfries & Galloway; East Lothian; Edinburgh; Midlothian Council; Scottish Borders; West Lothian; Argyll and Bute; East Ayrshire; East Dunbartonshire; East Renfrewshire; Glasgow; Inverclyde; North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Renfrewshire; South Ayrshire; South Lanarkshire; and West Dunbartonshire. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “The Met Office has issued a red warning for wind on Friday January 24, meaning there is a danger to life across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.
“In light of the deteriorating weather conditions and associated disruption, and in consultation with the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive, the Cabinet Office will issue emergency alerts early this evening to people affected by the warnings in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland. The emergency alert system will send a message to every compatible mobile phone in the areas at most risk, containing information about the weather warnings and guidance on how to stay safe.”
Millions of people have been urged to stay at home during the storm, which brought hurricane-force winds to the UK. Rail services, flights and ferries have been axed, and rare red weather warnings are in place on Friday in Scotland and Northern Ireland, as winds of up to 100mph have swept the country.
The storm is likely to rip the roofs from buildings, uproot trees and cause power cuts, according to the Met Office alerts. Hurricane force winds are those that reach at least 74mph, according to the Beaufort scale, the Met Office said.
On Friday, about 20 per cent of all flights scheduled to operate to or from airports in the UK or Ireland have been cancelled, according to Aviation analytics company Cirium. A total of 1,070 flights have been cancelled, and Dublin, Edinburgh, Heathrow and Glasgow airports are the worst affected, according to the company.