Tsunami Warning Sent by Mistake to Several US Cities

A tsunami warning sent to several major cities across the country left people in a panic Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday morning, people in multiple cities across the United States, including Houston, Tampa, and New York, woke to a warning issued by the National Weather Service stating that there was a tsunami warning, KAGS TV reports. According to AccuWeather, which transmitted the message, the alert was only a test.

The fact that people weren’t made aware that the message was only a test until the message was opened left many in a panic, and many outraged once they discovered that they weren’t in danger.

“Dear @accuweather – don’t send people who are now afraid of rain and flooding a tsunami warning test. Tests that might be better received in Houston right now: who’s brisket is better?, no traffic warning, or… blue skies and no chance of flooding warnings,” one person tweeted.

“Well that’s a new one @accuweather,” one person commented.

“Hey @accuweather @NOAA might want to find a way to make things more clear that they are a test. It 100% reads as there is a tsunami if people don’t click into twice,” wrote another.

This isn’t the first time that an alert has been sent out in error. On Jan. 13, residents in Hawaii received an alert on their phones as emergency notifications were blasted saying that a “ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii.” The message added that it was “an extreme alert” and “not a drill.” The missile alert sent Hawaii residents and their visitors into sheer panic, many taking to Twitter and Instagram to express their fear, some calling loved ones.

The missile alert was actually a false alarm, however, though it wasn’t until 38 minutes after the warning had been issued that officials confirmed that the alert was a mistake and the public was not in danger.