A routine test of an earthquake information system in Tokyo on Friday mistakenly notified citizens about an earthquake that hadn’t occurred.Subscribers to a cell phone e-mail service provided by Tokyo’s Minato ward received messages just after 1 p.m. that a “moderately strong earthquake” had been registered at the city hall. “Beware of aftershocks. Check that fire-prone areas are secure and remain calm,” read the e-mail, which said the quake had registered 4 on the Japanese scale.A quake of that level is capable of frightening many people, considerably swaying hanging objects and being noticeable to people walking on the street and driving cars. However, the 1,800 subscribers to the ward’s e-mail service were likely more puzzled than frightened when the message came.“We were testing the system and we mistakenly sent out an e-mail,” said an official at the ward’s disaster-prevention office. Officials sent out a second e-mail a few minutes later notifying subscribers of the error. Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, and tremors happen somewhere in the country on a daily basis. Earthquake information systems are highly advanced, and TV stations automatically flash news within minutes of a quake occurring. Yahoo Japan has also begun to carry information on its site, replacing all the banner ads with information when a strong quake occurs.Last year, testing began of a new system that is capable of giving people several seconds’ warning of an impending temblor. The system catches fast-moving but low-energy P-waves from a quake and quickly calculates the earthquake’s source and strength. Then it can map where the more destructive S-waves will be felt at what time and at what strength. The system could provide anything from a few seconds’ to a minute’s warning of shaking from a major earthquake—long enough to bring trains to a halt, cut gas supplies and stop factory production lines.-Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content opinion The Importance of Identity Management in Security By Charles Pelton Nov 28, 2023 5 mins Cybercrime Artificial Intelligence Data Management brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software Why data virtualization is critical for business success Data is your most valuable resource—but only if you can access it fast enough to address present challenges. Data virtualization is the key. By Milan Shetti, CEO of Rocket Software Nov 28, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software The hybrid approach: Get the best of both mainframe and cloud Cloud computing and modernization often go hand in hand, but that doesn’t mean the mainframe should be left behind. A hybrid approach offers the most value, enabling businesses to get the best of both worlds. By Milan Shetti, CEO Rocket Software Nov 28, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rimini Street Dear Oracle Cloud…I need my own space Access results from a recent Rimini Street survey about why enterprises are rethinking their Oracle relationship and cloud strategy. By Tanya O'Hara Nov 28, 2023 5 mins Cloud Computing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe