A false emergency message warning Hawaii residents of an incoming ballistic missile sent people scrambling in panic Saturday.

The alert, which was sent to cellphones and appeared on television, asked people to “seek immediate shelter” and added, “This is not a drill.”

Reaction quickly spread across social media, with people seeking answers to what state emergency officials declared was a false alarm.


Hawaiians watching morning sports treated to terrifying "THIS IS NOT A DRILL" emergency alert" https://t.co/kSSs4Udini pic.twitter.com/oJknMib0wB — Deadspin (@Deadspin) January 13, 2018

#hawaii

when ur in a van w/ ur hs swim team & get a warning about the missle. we were in the middle of nowhere and there was no shelter. everyone started crying, screaming, & calling their loved ones. then there's me who called my mom & she says, "chill, it's a joke" & hung up... — 카푸찬희☕️ (@jiminnsshi) January 13, 2018

Ballistic missle threat in Hawaii ... Lady outside on megaphone telling everyone to get inside and stay in bathroom away from glass pic.twitter.com/rDsGJn173t — Nolan Nichols (@bnolannichols) January 13, 2018

My parents are in Hawaii and are being told to take shelter for a ballistic missle!!!!! — Robert (@R_Chandler15) January 13, 2018


This was my phone when I woke up just now. I'm in Honolulu, #Hawaii and my family is on the North Shore. They were hiding in the garage. My mom and sister were crying. It was a false alarm, but betting a lot of people are shaken. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/m6EKxH3QqQ — Sara Donchey (@SaraDonchey) January 13, 2018

Just got this second alert, almost 40 minutes later. pic.twitter.com/q2uVL5cMDV — Sonali Kohli 🙆🏾 (@Sonali_Kohli) January 13, 2018