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An 'Emergency alert: Severe' notification flashed on several mobile phones in India today. The message was sent by the NDMA which has started testing the technology that will alert people during natural disasters.
NEW DELHI Soon, television screens will flash warning messages about the impending extreme weather events in the country and songs on radio will be cut short to make way for the urgent alerts. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recently started sending text messages on mobile phones to disseminate critical information about heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and heat wave, among others. It now plans to expand the warning system to television, radio and other mediums to ensure citizens are promptly informed and better prepared for severe weather, according to officials. “The text-based system is part of phase one of the project. TV, radio and other mediums are being covered in phase two which will be implemented by the end of the year,” a senior NDMA official told PTI. With the amalgamation of technology and communication, the NDMA aims to surpass the limitations of text-based warnings, he said. Before text messages, the NDMA used to issue such early warnings
The text-based system is part of phase one of the project. TV, radio and other mediums are being covered in phase two which will be implemented by the end of the year: senior NDMA official