Bureau of Meteorology ‘tsunami warning’ test sparks mass confusion
The Bureau of Meteorology has sparked confusion across the country after sending out a test alert on its new tsunami warning system.
The BOM reiterated there was no tsunami threat to Australia after it made test posts on the BOM weather app between 11am and midday.
The bureau said it was part of a planned transition to a new tsunami warning system.
“The Bureau acknowledges and apologises for any confusion that this test may have caused,” the Bureau said in a statement.
Camera IconBOM on Wednesday sent out a tsunami test alert. Supplied. Credit: News Corp Australia
Camera IconThe “test” warning was quickly cancelled. Supplied. Credit: News Corp Australia
“The test warnings were sent to the BOM Weather app for various locations. The test warnings were cancelled immediately after they were issued.
“Testing is important to help the Bureau and partners prepare and plan for real tsunami threats.
“The Bureau is part of the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC) and this is operated 24 hours a day to detect, monitor, verify and warn of any tsunami threats to the coastline of Australia and its offshore territories.”
The bureau on Wednesday morning tweeted that it would soon issued test posts on the tsunami early warning system and urged people to “Please disregard this post.”
But it still caused confusion among some people.
One person posted on Twitter: “Don’t scare me like that @BOM_au”.
Another said: The @BOM_au just sent messages across my iPad ‘cancelling the Tsunami warning’ for #Canberra!!!”
#Bureau #Meteorology #tsunami #warning #test #sparks #mass #confusion