New Delhi, May 2 -- Mobile users across India on Saturday received a loud "Extremely Severe Alert" notification as part of a government test of a new emergency warning system designed to deliver real-time alerts during disasters and public safety incidents.

Officials said the alert was only a trial message and required no action, but it demonstrated how authorities plan to quickly warn citizens in situations such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones, lightning strikes, gas leaks, and other emergencies. The notification was accompanied by a sharp alarm sound and appeared prominently on screens, even when phones were on silent mode.

The system operates using Cell Broadcast technology, which differs from conventional SMS. Instead of sending me...