Japan\u2019s Meteorological Agency cancelled a warning of strong\nearthquake shaking that it had issued on Friday (16 October), saying it\nhad been sent in error.<\/p>\n
Japan Today reported on Saturday (17 October 2026) that the alert was\ntriggered by an incorrect estimate of the earthquake\u2019s magnitude, which\nhad briefly been forecast at a catastrophic 9.9. The error caused\ntemporary disruption to public transport in several parts of the\ncountry.<\/p>\n
The agency said its computer system had incorrectly identified the\nearthquake\u2019s epicentre, resulting in an excessively high magnitude\nestimate.<\/p>\n
The warning was issued at 12.40 pm for a wide area, from northern to\ncentral Japan. It said the earthquake had occurred in the Chishima\nIslands, also known as the Kuril Islands, off Hokkaido.<\/p>\n
The agency later confirmed that a magnitude 6.9 earthquake had in\nfact struck near Russia\u2019s Kamchatka Peninsula at a depth of 160\nkilometres, at around 12.38 pm.<\/p>\n
The alert caused alarm among the public. It advised people to prepare\nfor shaking of up to level 7, the highest rating on Japan\u2019s seismic\nintensity scale.<\/p>\n
However, the agency said the strongest shaking recorded was only\nlevel 1, in Hakodate in south-western Hokkaido.<\/p>\n
Following the warning, 14 tram services in Sapporo, Hokkaido, stopped\nfor several minutes before resuming once the situation was deemed safe,\nthe operator said.<\/p>\n
Shinkansen services on the Tokaido line were also temporarily\nsuspended between Shin-Yokohama and Toyohashi stations. JR Central said,\nhowever, that the earthquake warning was not the direct cause of the\nsuspension.<\/p>\n
The early warning was cancelled eight minutes after it was issued.\nMany residents received it on their smartphones or learned of it through\ntelevision and radio broadcasts or municipal loudspeaker systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have caused considerable concern and placed a burden on people\nwho sought shelter or took steps to ensure their safety, as well as on\nothers affected, including transport systems and businesses,\u201d Chief\nCabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japan-cancels-major-earthquake-warning-after-computer-system-error-1792209036", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }