The emergency alert from the Department of Telecommunications is a message sent to mobile devices as part of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system. The WEA system delivers critical warnings and information to the public on their wireless devices, and authorized public safety officials send the alerts through FEMAs Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to wireless providers, which then push the alerts from cell towers to mobile devices in the affected area. The alert appears like text messages on mobile devices and is accompanied by a unique attention signal. The emergency alert can be of different types, including "National Alerts" issued by the President of the United States or the Administrator of FEMA, "Imminent Threat" alerts involving imminent threats to safety or life, "AMBER Alerts" about missing children, and "Public Safety Messages" conveying recommendations for saving lives and property. The emergency alert with the message "Emergency Alert: Severe" was actually a test message sent by the Department of Telecommunications to check its emergency alert system. The flash message read, "This is a SAMPLE TESTING MESSAGE sent through Cell Broadcasting System by Department of Telecommunication, Government of India. Please ignore this message as no action is required from your end. This message has been sent to TEST Pan-India Emergency Alert System being implemented by National Disaster Management Authority. It aims to enhance public safety and provide timely alerts during emergencies".