Mobile alert "hit and miss"

This evening's mobile phone test of a new national emergency alert system was ''a bit hit and miss'' in Dunedin and Otago but the system would ''get better'' and was a valuable new approach.

Emergency Management Otago director Chris Hawker said it had earlier been estimated that about 30% of people would be able to receive the message-a warning message, accompanied by a loud noise- but that some older cellphones would not be capable of receiving it.

Testing of the $18 million new alert system was brought forward after the Kaikoura earthquake last November sparked confusion over tsunami risks off the New Zealand coast.

The Dunedin Civil Defence Emergency Management Facebook page last night, a message asked ''Didn't receive the Emergency Mobile Alert test tonight?''

The public was advised to give feedback at www.civildefence.govt.nz/emergency-Mobile-Alert via internet.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz