Received 'Severe Alert' Push Message On Your Phone? No Action Needed From Your End, It's Just A Test

The DoT and NDMA have been conducting a "Cell Broadcast Alert System testing to enhance emergency communication during disasters" since July.

Some users may also have recently received an precursor SMS from the Department of Telecommunications.

On Wednesday, at around 2pm IST, numerous smartphones, predominantly iPhone handsets, displayed a push notification with this banner: "Severe Alert." While the abruptness of the message may raise concerns, it is important for users to remain calm, as the flash is merely a part of the ongoing testing process.

The complete flash message reassures users:

"This is a SAMPLE TESTING MESSAGE sent through Cell Broadcasting System by the 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 the National Disaster Management Authority. It aims to enhance public safety and provide timely alerts during emergencies."

As explicitly stated, "No action is required from your end."

It is noteworthy that the flash broadcast was on iOS handsets, with Android phones remaining unaffected at the time of writing. It should also be noted that after the first message popped up at around 2:07pm, another similar message followed through at around 2:21pm. 

This occurrence is not novel, as similar flashes were reported by PTI back in August this year.

"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… pic.twitter.com/R4F4pSUi3A

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 17, 2023

The government release emphasises that the DoT and NDMA have been rigorously conducting tests on the "Cell Broadcast Alert System" since July, aiming to fortify emergency communication during disasters.

Users may have also received an SMS from the Department of Telecommunications, stating, "DoT, Govt of India would conduct Cell Broadcast testing with NDMA. You may receive test alerts on mobile with sound/vibration. These alerts are part of the testing process, do not indicate an actual emergency and do not require any action at your end."

The received message was a deliberate test notification initiated by the DoT to evaluate the functionality of the emergency alert system. The DoT explains that the cell broadcast alert system is a technology enabling the government to transmit crucial and time-sensitive messages related to disaster management to all mobile devices within a specified geographic area, irrespective of whether the recipients are residents or visitors.

Cell Broadcast remains a widely used method for distributing emergency alerts, encompassing severe weather warnings such as tsunamis, flash floods, earthquakes, and similar events.