Hawaiian officials were checking if sirens intended to alert tourists and residents to a possible nuclear attack from North Korea had malfunctioned or were
HONOLULU – Hawaiian officials were checking if sirens intended to alert tourists and residents to a possible nuclear attack from North Korea had malfunctioned or were not loud enough after the first test of the warning system since the end of the Cold War was barely heard at one of the state’s most popular beaches on Friday.
The sirens largely were drowned out by crashing waves and wind along Waikiki, the famous stretch of beach in the shadow of the Diamond Head volcano. Beachgoers hardly noticed the test, which sounded like a distant siren. The warning would give people 20 minutes to take shelter ahead of an imminent missile strike.
“I was out in the ocean playing around, and I heard this siren,” said tourist Tom Passmore from Calgary, Alberta, adding that he didn’t think much of it. “I think it’s a good idea,” he said of the test, “but judging by everyone’s reaction around here, nobody moved.”
Vern Miyagi, administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said early reports indicate the test went well but officials could get complaints later. They will document any they receive and investigate if there were any glitches — a process they carry out after every monthly test of a siren for natural disasters.
There are 385 warning sirens throughout the islands. How well someone hears them depends on how close they are to a device, Miyagi said.
Hawaiian officials said it is the first state to bring back the Cold War-era attack warning system. The wailing siren sounded for a minute after the usual testing of the steady alert for tsunamis and other events that residents are used to hearing.
The possibility of a strike is remote, but it is important to be prepared, Gov.
