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Sichuan earthquake warning error triggers panic in China
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck Changning County in Yibin, Sichuan, on August 24, at a depth of 5 kilometers. While the tremor caused vibrations in nearby cities including Chengdu and Chongqing, no casualties were immediately reported.
The event triggered widespread panic after the Institute of Care-Life (Chengdu High-Tech Disaster Reduction Institute) issued an incorrect initial warning of a magnitude 7.7 earthquake via smartphones and smartwatches. The Institute acknowledged this as the largest deviation in its 15-year history, explaining that the shallow depth and high peak acceleration at the nearest sensor caused the system to overestimate the magnitude. The estimate was corrected multiple times within 17 seconds, eventually stabilizing at 3.9.
A dispute has emerged between the Sichuan Earthquake Bureau and the Institute of Care-Life regarding authorization. The Bureau stated that the Institute's authorization to provide emergency earthquake information services had expired on July 22, 2026, and accused it of using the 'China Earthquake Early Warning Network' name without permission. The Institute countered that the network was co-built with the China Earthquake Administration under a 2020 memorandum of understanding.
Entities
Changning County · China Earthquake Administration · China Earthquake Networks Center · China National Seismic Network · Institute of Care-Life · Microsoft · Microsoft Excel · Sichuan Earthquake Bureau · Sichuan Province · Yibin
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The magnitude estimate was corrected multiple times within 17 seconds, eventually stabilizing at 3.9. www.fehmarn24.de · www.ithome.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] A magnitude 4.7 earthquake occurred in Changning County, Yibin, at a depth of 5 km on August 24. www.fehmarn24.de · www.epochtimes.com · www.ithome.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Sichuan Earthquake Bureau stated that the Institute of Care-Life's authorization to provide emergency earthquake information services had ended on July 22, 2026. www.epochtimes.com · www.ithome.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Institute of Care-Life issued an incorrect initial earthquake warning of magnitude 7.7. www.fehmarn24.de · www.epochtimes.com · www.ithome.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Institute of Care-Life claims the name 'China Earthquake Early Warning Network' was established through a 2020 memorandum of understanding. www.epochtimes.com · www.ithome.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The high initial magnitude reading was caused by a shallow earthquake depth of 5 km and high peak acceleration at the nearest sensor. www.epochtimes.com · www.ithome.com