BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — The next notification on your phone might be one you wouldn't expect: a shark alert.

A new state law now requires Alabama emergency officials to administer a wireless emergency alert if a shark attack happens nearby.

Similar to an Amber or Silver Alert, Alabama beachgoers will receive a cell phone alert if there's a shark attack close to the device; however, the exact distance for how far the alert will reach has yet to be determined.

"All of these wireless emergency alerts will be geofenced to where they're only hitting people along the coast of Alabama," Baldwin Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Tyler said. "No matter what you're doing, it'll pop up on your phone if you're in the geofenced area."

According to the International Shark Attack File fr

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