Australia issues tsunami warning after 8.2 magnitude earthquake…and then this happened

Panic and confusion reigned in Australia after the weather agency issued a tsunami warning on Wednesday (September 25), only to later clarify that it was a test.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a warning for an 8.2 magnitude earthquake off the coast of New Zealand in the southern half of the country.

WATCH: Japan: Earthquake triggers tsunami warnings

The warning was sent out at around 11.30am via mobile phones to people in southern parts of Australia, particularly the New South Wales and Queensland coasts. It was sent via push notifications to the BOM app, third-party weather apps and social media platform X, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The tsunami will reach Tasmania by midday, then Victoria and New South Wales at around 12:15 p.m., then Brisbane by 1:15 p.m. before ending at Moreton Island, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The message was already marked as “test” but many people didn't notice it.

A tsunami is a huge wave generated by underwater earthquakes. Interestingly, a tsunami warning in Australia was even sent to people living 125 kilometres from the nearest shore, according to a report in The Guardian.

A second message was sent about 20 minutes after the first, stating “Tsunami warning cancelled,” with a notice that the previous message was a test.

But by then, panic had set in.

Oh my god, my friend @AKOz100 sent me a screenshot of a cancelled tsunami warning in Canberra! I mean, we're getting rain today and 50mm of rain tomorrow, but if there's a tsunami in Lake Burley-Griffin, it could be the end of the world!! 🤣😂 #tsunami… pic.twitter.com/AcNDmPvnvs

— Ali Zaharov Riot (@alexonline888) September 25, 2024 ×

“Oh my god! I just got a tsunami warning,” one app user wrote on X.

Queensland disaster coordinator Shane Cheliby was quoted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as saying the alert was “unfortunate” and should never have been sent out. “It did include the wording that it was a test, but it wasn't as clear as it should have been,” he said.

But he added: “Sometimes, as we get into high-risk weather systems, it's imperative that all of our alert systems are ready to go.”

The Guardian quoted a spokesman for the Meteorological Department as saying that the test messages were sent as part of the transition to a new tsunami early warning system programme.

“The test is important to help the Bureau and partners prepare and plan for real tsunami threats,” said the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, part of the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC).

One listener told ABC Radio he did not initially realise the tsunami warning had a “test” label at the top and bottom of the notice.

“It gave me good training in case anything happened,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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