National Weather Service Issues False Tsunami Warning

The Associated Press reports:

A routine National Weather Service test on Tuesday resulted in a false push notification to mobile phones about a tsunami warning, giving jolt to many residents on the East Coast.

A glitch meant some people received what looked like an actual warning, NWS meteorologist Hendricus Lulofs said. The National Weather Service is trying to sort what went wrong, he said. Officials said it appeared to be an issue with the popular Accuweather app. Accuweather didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.

This is the latest in a spate of false alarms in the past month. A Hawaii state employee mistakenly sent an alert warning of a ballistic missile attack on Jan. 13. And, a malfunction triggered sirens at a North Carolina nuclear power plant on Jan. 19.

BREAKING: ‘Test’ tsunami warning startles Palm Beach Countyhttps://t.co/1sWz3B34N9 pic.twitter.com/XHb3yTxGuG

— The Palm Beach Post (@pbpost) February 6, 2018

***THERE IS NO TSUNAMI WARNING***

A Tsunami Test was conducted earlier this morning, that did have TEST in the message. We are currently trying to find out how a message went out as a warning. We will update you when we find out more.

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) February 6, 2018

AccuWeather error sends false tsunami warnings along the East Coast https://t.co/fMUSNFtqRi pic.twitter.com/ditjrukfuF

— The Verge (@verge) February 6, 2018

Tsunami warning alert meant as test goes out in error https://t.co/NyQFmBYyRV pic.twitter.com/RI6Sjq6fa8

— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) February 6, 2018

The National Weather Service Tsunami Warning this morning was a TEST. No Tsunami warning is in effect for the East Coast of the U.S.

— AccuWeather (@accuweather) February 6, 2018