AN EMERGENCY ALERT telling people in Hawaii to “seek immediate shelter” due to a “ballistic missile threat” was sent in error.
Shortly after the message was circulated, sending many people into a panic, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency confirmed there was, in fact, no threat.
“Hawaii – this is a false alarm,” wrote Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard on Twitter. “I have confirmed with officials there is no incoming missile.”
The emergency alert — which arrived amid tense geopolitical tensions in the region over a possible nuclear threat from North Korea — that some mobile phone users mistakenly received read: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
People later received a message telling them it was a “false alarm”.
- © AFP 2018, with reporting by Órla Ryan
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