Tomorrow April 15that hours 10.30amwill be held on first IT-Alert test of 2026: The national public warning system will be activated in Calabriasimulating the risk of major industrial accident. The simulation will specifically concern the factory Gargano gas Of Montalto Uffugoin the province of Cosenzainvolving all citizens who will be inside at the time of the test 3km radius around the plant.
Also in this case, all cell phones connected to cell phones in the affected areas will receive one text and sound notification, even without an internet connection.
Since 2024, the IT-Alert system has been active for four risk scenarios – nuclear accidents, industrial accidents, collapse of a large dam and volcanic activity – while trials are still underway for tsunamis, the volcanic activity of Stromboli and intense rainfall. The objective of the simulation on April 15th is to improve the effectiveness of the system and, specifically for industrial risk and allow a greater number of industrial establishments to exercise one’s ability to respond in case of emergencies.
Where and when the IT-Alert test will sound in Calabria
The test of April 15, 2026 will affect all municipalities by 3 km from the Gargano gas industrial plant of Montalto Uffugo, in the province of Cosenza (Calabria): the specific risk simulated is that of a significant industrial accident, by which we mean «an event such as a release, fire or explosion of large magnitude, due to uncontrolled developments that occur during the activity of an industrial establishment classified as at risk of major accident by the Seveso Directive and which gives rise to a serious dangerimmediate or deferred, for human health and the environment, inside or outside the establishment”.
In particular, the calendar provides that:
- 10.30 am – Test IT-Alert due to a major industrial accident at the plant Gargano gas from Montalto Uffugo (CS). The municipalities within 3 km of the industrial plant are affected. The text contained in the notification will be as follows:
TEST TEST IT-alert test message. It’s underway SIMULATION of an accident at an industrial plant in the area where you are located. To find out the message you will receive in case of real danger and to fill out the questionnaire go to www.it-alert.gov.it TEST TEST
What to do when the alarm message sounds on your cell phone
Like all previous simulations, the first one in 2026 in Calabria also involves sending a text message accompanied by a direct sound alarm to all smartphones turned on and connected to the cells that cover the areas affected by the specific risks that are simulated. Since this is a test, no subsequent action is required on the part of the citizens involved and the messages sent by the IT-Alert system do not require responses or interactions.
Whoever receives the alert will still be able to choose to fill out an short questionnaire (optional) to report whether the message has been received correctly, provide overall feedback and thus contribute to improving the alert system in view of any future emergencies.
What would the message be like in the event of a real accident in an industrial plant
The Montalto Uffugo IT-Alert test therefore represents a simulation. In case of real danger for an accident at an industrial plant, cell phones in areas near the affected plants would receive a message IT-alerts like this:
Civil Protection Alarm DD/MM/YY 00:00 – Accident in the XYZ industrial plant with presence of dangerous substances, in the Municipality of XYZ (PROVINCE). FIND SHELTER INDOORS AND DO NOT GO NEAR the system. Keep up to date and follow the instructions of the authorities.
However, it remains there possibility that some devices do not receive the messagedespite being present in the areas affected by the emergency: this is due to the limits of cell-broadcast technology, with which it is impossible to perfectly overlap the area potentially affected by the emergency with the area covered by the telephone operators’ antennas.
