Citizens in the Delhi NCR region recently received an emergency alert with a loud beep on their phones, signaling a disaster warning. This alert, the second of its kind, appeared as a flash message on mobile devices accompanied by a high-decibel warning tone. Officials had previously mentioned that these alerts are part of routine testing by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency communication system.
The messages conveyed that the alerts were part of a test exercise and that no immediate action was necessary. The Cell Broadcast Alert System, known as ‘SACHET,’ has been designed to provide real-time disaster warnings, emergency notifications, and public safety messages directly to mobile phones during critical situations like earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and other emergencies. This system, developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), follows international Common Alerting Protocol standards.
The recent testing phase comes after the launch of the ‘Cell Broadcast Alert System’ by Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia earlier this month. This initiative, supported by the NDMA under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, aims to enhance disaster preparedness and ensure swift dissemination of emergency information to the public. Regular testing exercises are being conducted to assess network readiness and guarantee the smooth delivery of emergency alerts across various mobile networks and devices.
