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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 15 January 2018

A wave of panic rattles Hawaii after false missile alert

and quick accountability introduced the Cold War-
and a fixed process,” he era warning siren tests last
wrote. month that drew interna-
“This false alert is detrimen- tional attention.
tal to the integrity and trust But there were problems
of the emergency man- there, too. Even though the
agement system,” said state says nearly 93 percent
state Sen. Donna Mercado of the islands’ 386 sirens
Kim. The Hawaii Emergen- worked properly during the
cy Management Agency December test, 12 mistak-
tweeted there was no enly played an ambulance
threat about 10 minutes af- siren. In the tourist hub of
ter the initial alert, but that Waikiki, the sirens were
didn’t reach people who barely audible, prompting
aren’t on the social media officials to add more sirens
platform. A mobile alert in- there and reposition ones
forming of the false alarm already in place.
didn’t reach cellphones Mary Hirose was with her
until about 40 minutes later. children at an ice skating
Many people said they are arena in Honolulu when the
resigned to the fact that alert came.
In this Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018 photo provided by Civil Beat, cars drive past a highway sign that says there is little they can ac- “Here, there is nothing you
“MISSILE ALERT ERROR THERE IS NO THREAT” on the H-1 Freeway in Honolulu. The state emergency tually do if a missile was to can do,” she said. So, she
officials announced human error as cause for a statewide announcement of an incoming missile be launched toward the grabbed her four children
strike alert that was sent to mobile phones. remote island chain, espe- held them close, listened
(Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat via AP) cially with only about 15 to the news and hoped for
Continued from Front “Based on the information residents have been told to minutes of warning time for the best.
we have collected so far, rely on failed miserably. a strike from North Korea. She questioned why it took
The state adjutant general, it appears that the govern- “Clearly, government Joseph Kira was home civil defense so long to send
Maj. Gen. Joe Logan, said ment of Hawaii did not have agencies are not prepared with his kids when the alert out the all-clear and why
a written report would be reasonable safeguards or and lack the capacity to came. His wife was at the they tweeted before send-
prepared. State lawmak- process controls in place to deal with emergency situ- gym. ing a mobile push alert.
ers announced they would prevent the transmission of ations,” he said in a state- “My wife was going ballis- Hawaii officials apologized
hold a hearing next Friday. a false alert,” Pai said in a ment. tic,” he said. “At that point, repeatedly and said the
And Federal Communica- statement. Hawaii U.S. Sen. Brian you just pray and find God, alert was sent when some-
tions Commission Chair- The backlash from lawmak- Schatz tweeted the false I guess.” one hit the live alert but-
man Ajit Pai said Sunday ers was swift. alarm was “totally inexcus- With the threat of missiles ton instead of an internal
the panel’s investigation is Hawaii House Speaker Scott able.” from North Korea on peo- test button during a shift
already under way. Saiki said the system Hawaii “There needs to be tough ple’s minds, the state re- change. q

Prayers for California mudslide victims; death toll hits 20

By MICHAEL BALSAMO 6-year-old son, Peerawat, and neighbors, they said. what’s left of toppled the crews about a week
Associated Press nicknamed Pasta, and his “Our whole community homes and mangled cars before the next chance of
MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — 79-year-old father-in-law, is devastated,” Hannah as they searched for the rain — and potential new
Parishioners prayed on Sun- Richard Loring Taylor, also Miller said at the Trinity Epis- missing. The storm sent flash mudslides — although the
day for those killed and for were killed in the mudslides. copal Church. “There isn’t floods cascading through precipitation was expect-
families still searching for The list of those still missing anyone who doesn’t know mountain slopes that were ed to be disorganized and
missing relatives in a South- in the mudslides has shrunk someone who has been burned bare by a huge light. Another system was
ern California community to four. affected by this disaster. It wildfire in December. Work- possible two days later.
ravaged by mudslides, Because most churches in is truly awful. We can just ers used backhoes, jack- “If we don’t get those de-
and authorities announced Montecito are in an evacu- pray they find those poor hammers and chain saws bris basins cleaned out,
another body had been ation area, many worship- missing people.” to clear away masses of then we’re not going to be
found, increasing the pers attended services in In the disaster area, fire- mud, boulders and top- prepared for the storm and
death toll to 20. nearby towns. At a church fighters went door to door pled trees. we don’t know what that
The body of 30-year-old Pin- in Santa Barbara, they car- to check the structural sta- Crews have made it a pri- storm is going to look like,”
it Sutthithepa was discov- ried flowers, lit candles and bility of the houses dam- ority to clear out debris said Robert Lewin, Santa
ered Saturday afternoon. prayed for the families who aged by a powerful rain- basins and creek canals Barbara County’s emer-
His 2-year-old daughter, have lost loved ones. The storm that preceded the before another rainstorm. gency management direc-
Lydia, remained missing. His victims were their friends mudslides and scoured Long-range forecasts gave tor. q