NEMA said it had mistakenly posted a tsunami warning on Twitter on Friday afternoon. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has apologised for mistakenly sending a tsunami warning.
Just before 1.30pm on Friday, NEMA posted on Twitter: "A Tsunami Warning has been issued following the magnitude EventMagnitude earthquake near Castlepoint. #EQNZ".
Castlepoint is a small settlement on the North Island's Wairarapa coast, north of Wellington.
About 20 minutes later, NEMA deleted the false warning, saying it was "was issued in error".
"This was part of a training exercise in which a live environment was mistakenly used," the agency, which replaced the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management in 2019, said.
NEMA has deleted a tsunami warning message that was issued in error.
— National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) December 23, 2022
This was part of a training exercise in which a live environment was mistakenly used.
We apologise for any alarm this may have caused
Meri Kirihimete everyone.
"We apologise for any alarm this may have caused. Meri Kirihimete everyone."
According to GeoNet, there have been no quakes reported near Castlepoint recently.
Earlier this year, NEMA released a new tsunami evacuation map.
