This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/13/hawaii-ballistic-missile-threat-alert-false-alarm
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Hawaii ballistic missile threat alert was false alarm, officials say | Hawaii ballistic missile threat alert was false alarm, officials say |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hawaii emergency officials said on Saturday an alert about an incoming ballistic missile threat was a false alarm. | |
| The alert stated there was a threat “inbound to Hawaii” and said residents should seek shelter. “This is not a drill,” it added. | The alert stated there was a threat “inbound to Hawaii” and said residents should seek shelter. “This is not a drill,” it added. |
| The alert caused a panic when it went to people’s cellphones on Saturday morning. Shortly afterwards, authorities said it was a mistake. | The alert caused a panic when it went to people’s cellphones on Saturday morning. Shortly afterwards, authorities said it was a mistake. |
| Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesman Richard Rapoza said it was not clear what caused the alert to go out and the agency was investigating. | |
| Tensions between the Trump administration and nuclear-armed North Korea have increased over the past year, over fears that the regime in Pyongyang may be able to reach the US mainland with a nuclear-armed missile. | |
| Hawaiian authorities have been preparing and testing early warning systems. | |
| The alert on Saturday caused consternation on the island and across social media. Jamie Malapit, owner of a Honolulu hair salon, texted his clients that he was cancelling their appointments and closing his shop for the day. | |
| 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,”’ Malapit said. 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 said. | |
| The US representative Tulsi Gabbard tweeted that the alert was an error, writing: “HAWAII – THIS IS A FALSE ALARM. THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE TO HAWAII. I HAVE CONFIRMED WITH OFFICIALS THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE.” |