Hongkongers shocked by 'emergency' alert on phones

Hongkongers were shocked when they received an "emergency" alert on their mobile phones simultaneously on Wednesday, which in fact was a reminder for them not to head to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. 

The government made use of the Emergency Alert System for the first time at around 6pm, which generated an audio alarm on mobile phones together with vibration for about 10 seconds. 

The message stated that Queen Elizabeth Hospital has been converted into a designated hospital to receive Covid-19 patients. Its accident and emergency department will cater to mainly Covid-19 patients and those with life-threatening conditions. Other patients were advised not to go to the hospital 

Many netizens said on social media that phones along the whole street started ringing at the same time. 

"I thought a nuclear bomb would arrive in 10 minutes, or that a meteorite would hit the earth,” one joked. 

Another person thought the phones were hacked, one after another. 

"Phones of several people on the bus started ringing at the same time. I thought there would be air strike," another added. 

According to the Office of the Communications Authority, the government has engaged local mobile network operators to set up an Emergency Alert System for dissemination of time-critical public announcements and messages via mobile networks to mobile service users during emergencies like extreme weather, serious public safety and health incidents to facilitate the public to adopt contingency measures quickly.

Mobile devices enabled to receive such messages will generate an audio alarm. Notification will also pop up on the screen.

There are two alert levels for EAS messages, namely "Extreme Emergency Alert" and "Emergency Alert". Authorities that disseminate the EAS message will designate the alert level according to the urgency or severity of the circumstances in question.

However, only mobile devices that support cell broadcast service technology, with the cell broadcast feature enabled on the devices can receive EAS messages. Some older models may not be equipped with the function.

The message sent on Wednesday evening triggered discussions on whether it is an abuse of the system. 

"What is the point of the alert? People cannot even get admitted to the hospital now, so how would they go there?” One questioned. 

Others said the system is normally used in situations of emergency that require immediate evacuation or caution in other countries: "In Japan, it is used to warn about earthquakes." "Last time I heard an emergency alert, it was a shooting case in the United States."