DoT, NDMA To Conduct Special System Tests To Alert People Of Natural Disasters In Advance  

The Cell Broadcast Alert System (CBAS) is used by different government agencies and emergency services to inform the public about potential threats and keep them informed during critical situations.

The CBAS is commonly used to deliver emergency alerts, such as severe weather warnings including Tsunami, flash floods and earthquakes besides other natural disasters.

Source : Pallav Bora

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Tuesday announced that it will conduct Cell Broadcast Alert System (CBAS) tests to enhance emergency communication during disasters and ensure the safety and well-being of the people, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). This initiative aims to bolster emergency communication during disasters and prioritise the safety and well-being of the citizens, the DoT said in a statement, adding that emergency alerts are integral part of planned testing process and do not indicate actual emergency.

The tests of the CBAS will be conducted on each telecom service provider. These tests will be performed from time to time, in various regions across the country, to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency alert broadcasting capabilities of the systems in place, of various mobile operators and cell broadcast system, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Assam, said in a press release on Tuesday.

The CBAS is a state-of-the-art technology that allows sending critical and time-sensitive messages for disaster management to all mobile devices within a designated geographical area, irrespective of whether the recipients are residents or visitors. It ensures that important emergency information reaches as many people as possible, in a timely manner, the DIPR release said.  

The CBAS is used by different government agencies and emergency services to inform the public about potential threats and keep them informed during critical situations. The CBAS is commonly used to deliver emergency alerts, such as severe weather warnings including Tsunami, flash floods and earthquakes besides other natural disasters, public safety messages, evacuation notices and other critical information, the release added.

During the testing period, people may receive simulated emergency alerts on their mobile devices. The DoT has assured that these alerts are part of the planned testing process and will not indicate an actual emergency. Each test alert will be clearly indicated that it is a test message to avoid confusion among the people, the release said.

The release further said that the tests would be conducted in the northeastern state of Assam on October 30, 2023. However, depending upon the system’s readiness, there may be changes in the test schedule at the last moment without further notice.

The CBAS is expected to be very instrumental for Assam as the state is prone to natural disasters like earthquake and flood. While frequent earthquakes jolt Assam, the annual floods are a perennial problem that has devastated the state on several occasions in the past. Moreover, Assam falls in the seismic V zone due to which frequent earthquakes occur in the state.