Tsunami warning system tested along U.S. west coast

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) is scheduled to conduct a test of its tsunami warning system Wednesday morning to make sure that alert communication is working, a U.S. newspaper reported.

The test will be conducted in the west coastal states of Washington, Oregon and California, the Seattle Times said in a report.

In addition to sending test warning message to emergency managers and the media, the NWS also wanted to use the alert as an earthquake drill for some schools and businesses.

Normally, the alert would say the magnitude of an earthquake, where it occurred and whether a tsunami was likely, but Wednesday's test will only ask if the alert was received, Jeff Michalski, an expert with the NWS, was quoted as saying.