Australia Tsunami Test Blunder: False Alert Triggers Panic, Meme Frenzy On Social Media

Residents along the New South Wales and Queensland coasts experienced brief panic on Wednesday when Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology mistakenly issued a tsunami warning. The alert, sent just after 11:30 a.m., informed app users that a tsunami was approaching, following an 8.2 magnitude earthquake near New Zealand’s west coast.

The warning reached people as far inland as Canberra, which is 125 kilometers from the nearest beach. Moments later, a second message was sent, canceling the tsunami warning and clarifying that the previous alert had been a test. Despite a prior notice on social media, many users were unaware that a test was scheduled.

Some app users expressed alarm and confusion on social media during the brief period between the two messages. The Bureau of Meteorology apologized for the unintended alarm, explaining that the test was part of the transition to new tsunami early warning system software.

“There is NO tsunami threat to Australia,” a bureau spokesperson confirmed, emphasizing the importance of testing to ensure preparedness for real threats. The Bureau of Meteorology is a key partner in the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre, which is responsible for detecting, monitoring, and issuing warnings for potential tsunami threats to Australia’s coastline and offshore territories.