Yesterday 17th August 2023, numerous mobile devices in India received an ‘Smartphone Emergency Alert: Severe’ notification on their smartphone. This message was dispatched by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which is currently in the process of testing this technology intended to warn individuals during natural disasters. According to sources within the NDMA, the government aims to implement this alert system within the upcoming six to eight months.
On 17th Aug, saw Smartphone Emergency Alert testing of the second phase of the Common Alerting Protocol. In the approaching months, the government intends to conduct trial broadcasts of crucial disaster alert messages on television, radio, and at railway stations, according to their statement.
At 1.35 pm on 17th Aug Friday, an emergency message, accompanied by a loud beep, was successfully delivered to all Android phones.
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The organization had developed the “Integrated Alert System based on the Common Alerting Protocol” with the aim of unifying alert-generating entities such as the India Meteorological Department, Central Water Commission, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, and Forest Survey of India, along with alert-disseminating bodies and state disaster management authorities, onto a shared platform.
Why Smartphone Emergency Alert is Important.
The NDMA intends to extend the alert system’s coverage to television, radio, and various other mediums, aiming to provide citizens with swift information and enhanced readiness for severe weather conditions. As per the IMD, India witnessed the unfortunate loss of 2,770 lives in 2022 due to extreme weather incidents. Out of these, 1,580 individuals were reported to have succumbed to lightning and thunderstorms, as stated by the news agency PTI.
Between the years 1970 and 2021, India experienced a total of 573 disasters resulting from extreme weather, climate, and water-related incidents. These events tragically led to the loss of 138,377 lives, as indicated by data provided by the World Meteorological Department.
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