Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, May 2: Mobile phones across India beeped on Saturday as the union government tested its new disaster warning system, sending emergency-style alerts to millions of users nationwide.

The alert, labelled ‘Extremely Severe Alert’, informed citizens that the message was only a test of India’s newly launched Cell Broadcast emergency system and that no action was required.

The service was formally launched by union home minister Amit Shah along with union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The platform, named SACHET (Integrated Alert System), has been developed by Centre for Development of Telematics under the department of telecommunications and is currently operational in all 36 states and union territories.

Officials said the system is designed to send instant alerts during emergencies such as earthquakes, tsunamis, lightning strikes, gas leaks, chemical hazards and other disasters.

Unlike standard SMS alerts, Cell Broadcast messages are intended to override normal phone settings with a loud alarm and on-screen warning, helping ensure users receive urgent information even if phones are on silent mode.

Authorities have already used the earlier alert system to send billions of warning messages in multiple Indian languages during cyclones, severe weather and other emergencies.