Large numbers of Cyprus residents took to social media to report they had not received the Interior Ministry’s emergency text alert on Wednesday, undermining the ministry’s claim that the system had functioned normally.
The Interior Ministry announced that it has successfully sent the first mass text message to citizens’ mobile phones containing precautionary self-protection measures.
Complaints were posted on Facebook, X, and Instagram, with users reporting a range of failures.
Some Greek-speaking residents said they received the message in English only, while some English-speaking residents reported receiving it in Greek only. Many said they received no message at all.
The message additionally refers citizens to the Interior Ministry’s website, which could prove problematic for elderly people who struggle to navigate technology.
The ministry had announced earlier that the first mass text alert — containing precautionary self-protection measures — had been sent successfully to citizens’ mobile phones, adding that two further planned messages would be held back unless circumstances required them.
“Given that the system was tested with the first message and is functioning normally, the two remaining messages will not be sent today and will only be dispatched if it becomes necessary,” the announcement stated.
Read more:
