India, May 2 -- Did your phone go off with a loud beep today? The government's instant disaster alerting service sparked a big alarm on Saturday morning as a loud sound echoed through multiple mobile phones, confusing people as to what had happened.

As they checked their phones a message starting with the words 'Extremely severe alert' flashed with the following text: "India, launches Cell Broadcast using indigenous technology, for instant disaster alerting service for its citizens. Alert citizens, safe nation. No action is required by the public upon receipt of this message. This is a test message. - Government of India."

The development came days after the government said it would be testing a mobile-based disaster alert system and ur...