Read the National Weather Service statement on the ‘erroneous tsunami alert’ for the East Coast
“There is no tsunami threat.”
The National Weather Service said Tuesday the tsunami alert for the East Coast that residents received on their phones was a “routine test message” that should not have been communicated as an actual warning. The service is emphasizing there is no tsunami threat to the region.
We have been receiving reports that an erroneous tsunami alert across New England. Please note there is NO TSUNAMI THREAT FOR New England.
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) February 6, 2018
Read the statement from the service on the ‘erroneous tsunami alert below:
There is no tsunami threat. The National Tsunami Warning Center of the National Weather Service issued a routine test message at approximately 8:30 am ET this morning. The test message was released by at least one private sector company as an official Tsunami Warning, resulting in widespread reports of tsunami warnings received via phones and other media across the East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. We’re currently looking into why the test message was communicated as an actual tsunami warning, and will provide more information as soon as we have it.
Officials are being notified that there is no threat.
Update
: In a subsequent statement the service said, “The test message was not disseminated to the public via any communication channels operated by the National Weather Service.”
The National Tsunami Warning Center, part of the National Weather Service, issued a routine test message at approximately 8:30 a.m. ET this morning. The test message was released by at least one private sector company as an official Tsunami Warning, resulting in reports of tsunami warnings received via phones and other media across the East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. The test message was not disseminated to the public via any communication channels operated by the National Weather Service. We’re currently looking into why the test message was distributed by at least one private sector company, and will provide more information as soon as we have it.
