India government is sending yet again an emergency alert to millions of phones. But don’t panic. Just listen to your phone blaring alarm and keep calm because it is routine.
On Tuesday morning, many mobile users in India received an emergency alert from the government. The alert was sent around 11:35 with a flash message and an emergency tone across Android and iPhone devices. However, there is no need to be alarmed. The alert was part of a test of the country's new emergency alert system, which is being deployed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The emergency alerts were sent to a random sample of smartphones across India, and it caused users' phones to emit a loud beep and display a flash message that read "emergency alert: severe." The message was sent twice, once in English and once in Hindi, a few minutes apart.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) the alert was part of a test to assess the effectiveness of the alert system and to identify any potential problems. The message was sent between 11:30 PM and 11:44 PM IST through the Cell Broadcasting System (CBS). The message informed recipients that it was a test and that no action was required.
"This is a SAMPLE TESTING MESSAGE sent through Cell Broadcasting System by Department of Telecommunication, Government of India. Please ignore this message as no action is required from your end. This message has been sent to test Pan-India Emergency Alert System being implemented by National Disaster Management Authority. It aims to enhance public safety and provide timely alerts during emergencies. Timestamp: 10-10-2023 11:30 AM 11," reads the flash message.
