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False earthquake alert in Cuba

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-21 05:44 UTC → 2026-08-23 03:11 UTC · added removed

On August 18, a false earthquake alert triggered widespread panic across several Cuban provinces, including Havana, Matanzas, and Santiago de Cuba. Thousands of Android users received urgent notifications advising them to seek shelter, leading many to flee their homes and workplaces. Authorities from the National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS) and the Cuban Civil Defense officially debunked the alert, describing it as “totally false” and confirming that no significant tectonic movements were detected. While initial speculation suggested the Android earthquake alert system might have misidentified local movements, Google denied responsibility, stating its system did not issue warnings in Cuba. Subsequent Cuba, investigations by the state magazine Juventud Técnica have shifted focus toward the mobile network operator Etecsa, suggesting suggested the alert may have been distributed via Cell Broadcast technology. technology through the mobile network operator Etecsa. On August 23, ETECSA admitted that the incident was caused by a “technical-human error.” The company explained that specialists in the Core Network area misconfigured a planned simulation during internal network testing, which caused the notification to be broadcast to the general public instead of remaining within a controlled environment. ETECSA issued an official apology, noting that measures have been taken regarding those responsible and that protocols are being reviewed to prevent future occurrences. Dr. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service, previously expressed concern that the incident lack of accountability could lead to a loss of public trust in future official warnings.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-23 03:11 UTC False earthquake alert in Cuba
  2. 2026-08-21 05:44 UTC False earthquake alert in Cuba

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