Civil Defence defends timing of CY-Alert flood warning

Nicosia, Cyprus. Civil Defence has defended the timing of Saturday’s CY-Alert flood warning, sent at 12:15pm after severe storms had already affected the island and killed one person.

The warning prompted questions and criticism after some people received it after the storms began, while others received it later or not at all.

Decision to activate alert

Deputy Civil Defence spokesperson Chara Lazarou said CY-Alert is a measure of last resort and that the decision to issue Saturday’s warning was taken only after storm-related phenomena and problems had become widespread.

She said the Met Department had issued an orange warning, rather than a red warning. Around noon, however, authorities concluded that the weather conditions, initially expected to be isolated, had become generalised and were affecting 60 per cent or more of the island.

Lazarou said these conditions met the criteria for activating CY-Alert. Civil Defence had monitored developments with the Met Department’s forecaster, she said, and the Deputy Civil Defence Commander was informed once the phenomena became widespread.

In coordination with the Chief Fire Officer, authorities decided to activate the system following an increase in 112 calls from different parts of Cyprus. The alert was sent at 12:15pm.

Warnings and public safety

Lazarou said the Met Department and other services had already issued weather warnings, meaning the public had been informed in advance.

“You can’t activate CY-Alert based on a forecast,” she said, noting that forecasts are based on probabilities and actual developments can differ from expectations.

She said the alert aimed to encourage people to limit their movements and avoid driving into dangerous conditions. Some people may have believed the storm had passed when it was continuing elsewhere in their district, she said.

The warning was also intended to reduce pressure on first responders dealing with a high volume of incidents.

Use of CY-Alert

Lazarou said each situation differs and the timing of a CY-Alert activation cannot be planned in advance. She said the system is used only after other ways of informing the public have been exhausted and represents the highest level of alert.

“It must be used sparingly and with caution,” she said, adding that overuse could lead people to ignore alerts and reduce their effectiveness.

Differences in delivery

Lazarou said variations in delivery times were linked to the technical characteristics of individual phones. Devices that have not been updated to the latest software version may receive alerts at different times, she said.

Signal availability when the alert is sent can also affect delivery, she added.

Citizens who did not receive the warning were urged to contact the Deputy Ministry of Research and Innovation’s helpline on 1450 or the retailer from which they bought their device. Lazarou said they should ask whether their phone supports Cell Broadcast technology.