The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has apologised for causing confusion with a tsunami test warning on its app.
“There is NO tsunami threat to Australia,” a BoM statement read.
“The bureau today (Wednesday, September 25) … issued test posts on the BOM Weather app between 11am-12pm AEST,” it says.
“This was planned as part of the transition to new tsunami early warning system software.”
The Bureau “acknowledges and apologises” for any confusion that this test caused, the statement read.
It explained that test warnings were sent to the BOM Weather app for various locations but were cancelled immediately after they were issued.
“Testing is important to help the bureau and partners prepare and plan for real tsunami threats,” the statement read.
The ABC says the warning was sent via push notification to the BOM app, third-party weather apps, and the social media website X/Twitter.
Marked “test”, it included tsunami watch warnings for Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland.
A screen capture of the test warning posted online spoke of an earthquake off the west coast of New Zealand.
The bureau says it is a part of the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC) and this is operated 24 hours a day to detect, monitor, verify and warn of tsunami threats to the coastline of Australia and its offshore territories.
Authorities such as port and maritime organisations, the Department of Defence, Surf Life Saving Australia and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority also receive JATWC’s tsunami warnings, according to the centre.
Media organisations across Australia use JATWC information to provide the public with up-to-the-minute tsunami risk information.
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre is the national authority and provides the most accurate tsunami warning information for Australia.
The bureau says it will continue to issue forecasts and warnings via the website and BOM Weather app.
