Fear, confusion grip Delhi residents as emergency alert blips on phones

NEW DELHI: Shock, fear, and confusion gripped people across the national capital on Saturday after a loud emergency alert sound from a Cell Broadcast message issued by the Government of India. Many were initially alarmed, only to later realise from the message that “no action is required by the public upon receipt of this message”.

Deepti Nainwal, a former school teacher, said she was in her kitchen deciding what to cook when a loud, unfamiliar sound echoed at her home. “First of all, when the alert sound suddenly started on my phone, I was completely shocked. It was so unexpected that for a moment I didn’t understand what was happening.