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Japan Meteorological Agency

USGS ShakeMap of the Oct. 16, 2026 magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, the real event behind the false alert. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.

Japan's 9.9 Alert Used Two Epicenters and a Formula for Domestic Quakes

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake off Kamchatka became a 9.9 alert across eastern Japan for eight minutes. The weather agency's own map shows how it was built.

Science · 16 Oct 2026, 12:47 · Daniel Okafor