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Hawaii ballistic missile alert latest: Employee sent terrifying text message by 'pressing wrong button during shift change' | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The US military’s Pacific Command said there was no threat to Hawaii after an official message was sent to residents mobile phones, warning them of an imminent ballistic missile attack. | |
Against a backdrop of increased tension with North Korea which has said its missiles can reach the US, a message was sent in block capitals: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.” | |
The text was sent out by the national Emergency Alert System, designed to allow the US government to warn Americans within 10 minutes of authorities learning of a threat. | The text was sent out by the national Emergency Alert System, designed to allow the US government to warn Americans within 10 minutes of authorities learning of a threat. |
State governor David Ige said it was sent when an employee pushed the wrong button during a shift change, CNN reported, and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HEMA) later said on Twitter: “NO missile threat to Hawaii.” | |
US President Donald Trump was briefed about the incident, as a number of people complained that the authorities had been slow to tell the public there was no threat. | |
“The President has been briefed on the state of Hawaii's emergency management exercise. This was purely a state exercise,” White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said. | |
HEMA said it was investigating what had happened. | |
“What happened today is totally inexcusable,” added senator Brian Schatz. “The whole state was terrified. There needs to be tough and quick accountability and a fixed process.” | |
He added: “There is nothing more important to Hawaii than professionalizing and fool-proofing this process.” | He added: “There is nothing more important to Hawaii than professionalizing and fool-proofing this process.” |
The state last year reinstated a Second World War-style missile warning system amid fears of an attack by North Korea. The sirens did not sound when the erroneous text alert was issued. | The state last year reinstated a Second World War-style missile warning system amid fears of an attack by North Korea. The sirens did not sound when the erroneous text alert was issued. |
Tulsi Gabbard, Democratic congresswoman for Hawaii, said she had spoken to officials to confirm there was no threat. | |
“Hawaii – this is a false alarm,” she tweeted. “There is no incoming missile to Hawaii. I have confirmed with officials there is no incoming missile.” | “Hawaii – this is a false alarm,” she tweeted. “There is no incoming missile to Hawaii. I have confirmed with officials there is no incoming missile.” |
The missile alert caused panic among Hawaiians, who rushed for shelter and called family members to say goodbye before it became clear it was a false alarm. | The missile alert caused panic among Hawaiians, who rushed for shelter and called family members to say goodbye before it became clear it was a false alarm. |
Many complained they were not told the alert was a false alarm for more than half an hour after the initial warning was issued. | Many complained they were not told the alert was a false alarm for more than half an hour after the initial warning was issued. |
Carla Herreria, a journalist in north Hawaii community of Haleiwa, said she “texted everyone in my family that I loved them en-route to a place to hid with other family members”. | Carla Herreria, a journalist in north Hawaii community of Haleiwa, said she “texted everyone in my family that I loved them en-route to a place to hid with other family members”. |
“I saw civilian cars pulling over to alert other pedestrians to take cover,” she wrote on Twitter. “The alert may have been a mistake, but it caused chaos and mass fear for island residents. And it lasted for more than 30 minutes before the state corrected the mistake.” | “I saw civilian cars pulling over to alert other pedestrians to take cover,” she wrote on Twitter. “The alert may have been a mistake, but it caused chaos and mass fear for island residents. And it lasted for more than 30 minutes before the state corrected the mistake.” |
Jamie Malapit, owner of a Honolulu hair salon, texted his clients that he was cancelling their appointments and was closing his shop for the day after receiving the erroneous alert. | Jamie Malapit, owner of a Honolulu hair salon, texted his clients that he was cancelling their appointments and was closing his shop for the day after receiving the erroneous alert. |
He said he was still in bed when the phone started going off “like crazy”. He thought it was a tsunami warning at first. | He said he was still in bed when the phone started going off “like crazy”. He thought it was a tsunami warning at first. |
“I woke up and saw missile warning and thought ‘no way’. I thought ‘No, this is not happening today’,” Mr Malapit said. | “I woke up and saw missile warning and thought ‘no way’. I thought ‘No, this is not happening today’,” Mr Malapit said. |
He was still “a little freaked out” and feeling paranoid even after hearing it was a false alarm. | He was still “a little freaked out” and feeling paranoid even after hearing it was a false alarm. |
“I went from panic to semi-panic and ‘Are we sure?”’ he added. | “I went from panic to semi-panic and ‘Are we sure?”’ he added. |
Hawaii last year brought back sirens which had not been tested since the Cold War in response to an escalating war of words between Mr Trump and Kim Jong-un. | |
Experts believe a North Korean missile could take just 20 minutes to reach Hawaii, leaving people with little time to react. | Experts believe a North Korean missile could take just 20 minutes to reach Hawaii, leaving people with little time to react. |