New Delhi: Millions of mobile phone users across Delhi-NCR and several surrounding parts of northern India received an ‘Extremely Severe Alert’ on Thursday evening, warning of severe thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning, heavy rain and winds gusting up to 100 kmph.
The emergency warning, delivered in Hindi and English just before 9 pm, appeared on mobile phone screens with a loud notification tone, alerting residents about severe weather conditions expected over the next three hours.
Issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the message cautioned that the severe weather could affect several districts in western Uttar Pradesh, including Aligarh, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Mathura and Meerut.
IMD advised residents to stay indoors and avoid open areas during the period of intense weather activity.
People were further urged to avoid taking shelter under trees, stay away from electric poles and waterlogged areas, secure loose outdoor objects and postpone non-essential travel until conditions improve.
Authorities also warned of possible disruptions caused by reduced visibility, waterlogging and strong winds.
Govt’s new initiative
The critical message which arrived with a loud tone is a recent government initiative aimed at creating a faster, more effective and resilient emergency communication network for citizens across the country.
It has been implemented by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The system was rolled out on May 2, when DoT conducted a nationwide test of its indigenous Cell Broadcast System which is designed to deliver instant, location-specific disaster warnings directly to mobile phones.
