Hawaii government officials sent out a text message to cellphone users alerting them to an incoming ballistic missile, according to Breaking911 earlier today. The alert was reportedly repeated on radio and television broadcasts as well. It turned out to be an error.
“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL,” the emergency alert read.
The city and county of Honolulu sent it out at about 8 a.m..
In the meantime, people stuffed children into storm drains.
BREAKING VIDEO: Footage shows children being placed into storm drains immediately after Emergency Ballistic Missile Warning was sent to residents in Hawaii.pic.twitter.com/GVDyVEARgR
— Jemisha (@JemiSHaaaZzz) January 13, 2018
It created a panic on social media.
A second emergency alert went out about 40 minutes later clarifying that the first alert was a false alarm, CNN associate producer Amanda Golden tweeted. “Repeat. False Alarm” the second alert read.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency eventually tweeted “NO missile threat to Hawaii.”
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Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell also tweeted saying the alert was sent in “ERROR.”
Tulsi Gabbard also tweeted.
HAWAII – THIS IS A FALSE ALARM. THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE TO HAWAII. I HAVE CONFIRMED WITH OFFICIALS THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE. pic.twitter.com/DxfTXIDOQs
— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) January 13, 2018
OOPSIE, HIT THE WRONG BUTTON
And as is to be expected, the left-wing social media users blamed Trump. It is of course in no way Trump’s fault.
As it turns out, an employee touched the wrong button.
Hawaii Gov. Ige says the false alarm happened after an employee “pushed the wrong button” during a “procedure that occurs at the change of shift” pic.twitter.com/9wVKIFqBEN
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) January 13, 2018
