A new nationwide warning system in Austria will start testing on Monday, September 9, authorities have said.

According to the City of Vienna, from September 9, individuals may begin receiving messages from the new AT-Alert population warning system as part of a trial phase. These messages will clearly state that they are test warnings. The system is scheduled to become fully operational from October 5.

If you are in an affected region, you will be alerted about natural hazards such as storms or floods, potential technical dangers like chemical accidents, or serious police incidents. These warnings will be sent via text message.

To ensure the broadest possible reach, AT-Alerts will complement the existing civil defence sirens as part of the warning and alert infrastructure.

Further information about the system is available here.