National Drill Conducted to Test the Effectiveness of “Daraga” Early Warning Service via SMS
2 Aug 2025
On 2 August 2025, the Sudan Meteorological Authority, in collaboration with the Telecommunications and Post Regulatory Authority (TPRA) and telecom operators (Zain, Sudani, and MTN), conducted a national joint drill to test the effectiveness of the “Daraga” early warning service through geotargeted SMS alerts in several weather-risk-prone states.
The exercise targeted over two million subscribers and tested the speed and accuracy of sending localized warning messages in anticipation of heavy rainfall accompanied by storms in the states of Red Sea, Kassala, Khartoum, Blue Nile, South and West Kordofan, and Central Darfur.
This drill marks a key step towards implementing the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) in Sudan, an international standard designed to unify emergency alerts across multiple platforms and enhance national emergency response systems.
Eng. Nora Abdullah, from TPRA, emphasized the critical role of telecommunications infrastructure in delivering real-time alerts to citizens, while Dr. Abul-Qasim Idris from the Sudan Meteorological Authority described the exercise as a practical advancement in strengthening the national emergency response system.
It is worth noting that the “Daraga” service has already started disseminating weather alerts and warnings through the official website: meteosudan.sd, social media channels, and WhatsApp, ensuring that alerts reach all segments of society in a clear and accessible manner.
