Hong Kong Emergency Alert System

The Hong Kong Emergency Alert System (Chinese: 緊急警示系統; EAS) is a cell broadcast emergency alert system for emergency warnings issued by the government of Hong Kong. The system was established in 2020 at a cost of HK$150 million and is managed by the Office of the Communications Authority. [1][2]The Emergency Alert System uses cell broadcast technology to send instant electronic messages to mobile phones connected to the mobile network, rather than traditional text messages. [3]

The system was used for the first time in March 2022, and is as of 2025 the only time ever used.[4][5]

History

In the past, the Hong Kong government had used text messages for the distribution of emergency alerts.[6] In February 2020, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau applied to the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for a grant of HK$150 million from the "Anti-epidemic Fund" to establish the Emergency Alert System. It is believed that the establishment of a warning system would shorten the time for the transmission of messages while allowing messages to be sent to all users of smartphones in Hong Kong.[7] In April 2020, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved the relevant funding application, with the warning system officially launched in November of the same year.[8][9]

Operations

The government planned to use the system to send real-time important information to mobile phone users in emergency situations that endanger the safety of a wide range of lives and property.[10]

Two alert levels exist for EAS messages, which being "Extreme Emergency Alert" and "Emergency Alert", with the government to designate the alert level according to the urgency or severity of the circumstances. [11]

When the government issues an alert, smartphones supporting cell broadcast service technology, with the cell broadcast feature enabled, will generate an audio alarm signal together with vibration for about ten seconds, to alert users of the reception of an EAS message. The system was used for the first time in March 2022, and is as of 2025 the only time ever used. Users are unable to change the alert ringtone and vibration, nor to opt out of messages designated as "Extreme Emergency Alert" messages.[12]

First application

The EAS system was first used on 9 March 2022, with the following message being displayed to warn the public of the conversion of Queen Elizabeth Hospital into a "designated hospital" for COVID-19 patients.[4][5]

HKSAR Government alerts you that starting from 9 March, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) of the Hospital Authority has been converted into a 'designated hospital' to receive COVID-19 patients. A&E of QEH will admit mainly COVID-19 patients and patients in life-threatening conditions. Other patients are advised not to go QEH. Thank you for the cooperation.
特區政府提示，醫管局伊利沙伯醫院3月9日起成為定點醫院，專門接收新冠病人，其急症室亦以接收新冠確診病人及有生命危險的緊急病人為主。其他人士請勿前往，多謝市民配合。

The distribution of the message was widely criticised at the time by the public and several legislative councillors, as many mistook the alert to warn of situations similiar to an airstrike or an earthquake. Then Chief Executive Carrie Lam defended the action, saying that it was appropriate to warn the public of the conversion of the hospital, with the hospital being the busiest in its own hospital cluster, the Kowloon Central cluster.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

Further use of system

The system has not been used ever since, with the public questioning the practicality of such system. The government was also questioned for why the system was not used during the widespread rainstorm and floods in September 2023, which had severely affected Hong Kong.[20][21][22][23]

References

  1. ^ "Office of the Communications Authority - Emergency Alert System". www.ofca.gov.hk. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  2. ^ "Letters | Is Hong Kong's emergency alert system a white elephant?". South China Morning Post. 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  3. ^ 何瑞芬 (2022-03-09). "緊急警示｜1.5億元系統傍晚「首響」 如空襲警報般提醒勿往伊院". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  4. ^ a b Chau, Candice (10 March 2022). "Covid-19: Hong Kong's Lam defends issuing citywide emergency alert over public hospital conversion". Hong Kong Free Press.
  5. ^ a b "林鄭評關閉緊急警示：全人類收到你收唔到，對你無利 | 獨媒報導". 獨立媒體. 2022-03-10. Archived from the original on 2022-06-22. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  6. ^ 香港 unwire.hk 玩生活．樂科技 (2022-03-09). "政府啟用 1.5 億緊急警示系統 全城市民手機齊響" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 2022-03-10. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  7. ^ "香港立法會財務委員會文件FCR(2019-20)46" (PDF). 香港立法會. 2020-02-21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-07-11. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
  8. ^ "香港立法會財務委員會討論文件FCR （2020 - 21） 2" (PDF). 香港立法會. 2020-04-17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  9. ^ "政府推緊急警示系統發送實時信息". 香港政府新聞網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2020-11-26. Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  10. ^ "政府推緊急警示系統發送實時信息". Hong Kong's Information Services Department (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  11. ^ "⚠️ 緊急警示即廣播訊息 即使關閉功能仍會接收". PCM (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2022-03-11. Archived from the original on 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  12. ^ "Office of the Communications Authority - Frequently Asked Questions". www.ofca.gov.hk. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  13. ^ "1.5億元系統傍晚「首響」　如空襲警報般提醒勿往伊院". 香港01. 2022-03-09. Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  14. ^ "【政情網上行】政府首發電話緊急警示　震動政界". Now新聞台. 2022-03-09. Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  15. ^ "疫情消息｜政府首發「緊急警示」霍啟剛：唔使加埋警報聲 老人家小朋友真係驚". 頭條日報. 2022-03-09. Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  16. ^ 林劍 (2022-03-09). "政府緊急警示「震驚」全港 霍啟剛斥狼來了：唔該非常緊急先用". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  17. ^ "【緊急警示】伊利沙伯醫院指定接收新冠病人　港府罕發手機警示震驚全港". 自由亞洲電台. 2022-03-09. Archived from the original on 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  18. ^ "市民質疑發放緊急警示準則 林鄭月娥認為昨日情況適合應用" (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 2022-04-17. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  19. ^ "新冠疫情｜政府信息「震驚」市民　林鄭月娥：緊急警示不會有心理準備". 明報. 2022-03-10. Archived from the original on 2022-04-22. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  20. ^ "黑雨︱三年前為何花 1.5 億設緊急警示系統？三年後極端天氣為何不啟動？". Yahoo News (in Chinese). 2023-09-08. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  21. ^ "「極端情況」下的工作安排". 政府新聞處. 2023-09-08. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08.
  22. ^ "今日信報 - 要聞 - 緊急警示系統「閒置」惹質疑". 信報網站 hkej.com. 2023-09-08. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08.
  23. ^ "稱工作無停過 李：信息發放要檢討 緊急警示系統未用 沿用既有渠道「更令市民聚焦」". 明報新聞網. 2023-09-09. Archived from the original on 2023-09-10.
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