By The South Asia Times

TOKYO - Japan’s weather agency canceled an earthquake warning on Friday after a computer error dramatically overestimated the magnitude of a tremor near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering public alerts and temporary disruptions to transport services.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the warning at 12:40 p.m. local time, cautioning residents across a wide area stretching from northern to central Japan to prepare for potentially severe shaking, according to Kyodo News.

The agency initially estimated that an earthquake measuring magnitude 9.9 had struck near the Kuril Islands, also known as the Chishima Islands, off Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

It later determined that the actual earthquake had a magnitude of 6.9 and occurred near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula at a depth of about 160 kilometers, at approximately 12:38 p.m.

The warning was withdrawn eight minutes after it was issued.

The agency said its computer system had incorrectly identified the earthquake’s focus, resulting in a substantial overestimation of its magnitude.

The alert had warned of possible shaking at level 7, the highest category on Japan’s seismic intensity scale. However, the strongest shaking recorded was level 1 in Hakodate, southwestern Hokkaido, according to the agency.

- Transport services temporarily disrupted

The warning prompted precautionary measures across parts of Japan.

In Sapporo, Hokkaido, 14 tram trains stopped for several minutes before resuming service after authorities determined it was safe to operate, the tram operator said.

Bullet train services on the Tokaido Shinkansen line were also temporarily suspended between Shin-Yokohama and Toyohashi stations. However, operator JR Central said the earthquake warning was not the direct cause of the suspension.

Many people received the alert through smartphone notifications, television and radio broadcasts, and municipal public-address systems.

Japan’s government acknowledged the disruption and concern caused by the erroneous warning.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said authorities were taking the incident seriously, noting that the alert had prompted people to seek shelter or take other safety measures and had affected transport operators and businesses.

- Error revived memories of 2011 disaster

The initially reported magnitude of 9.9 would have indicated an earthquake far more powerful than the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011.

That disaster generated massive tsunamis, devastated coastal communities and triggered a severe nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Japan operates an advanced earthquake early-warning system designed to provide seconds of notice before strong shaking reaches populated areas. Such alerts can help people protect themselves and allow transport operators to take precautionary action.

However, Friday’s incident highlighted the disruption that can result when an early estimate is substantially inaccurate.

Hokkaido and surrounding areas remain among the regions where authorities have urged residents to prepare for a potential megaquake along the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench, offshore zones associated with major seismic activity.

The agency’s warning error does not itself indicate that such a megaquake is imminent.