Hawaii conducts nuclear attack warning drill

On the morning of December 1 (local time), the US state of Hawaii conducted its first nuclear attack warning siren drill in more than 30 years since the Cold War, the BBC recently reported.

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Tsunami warning tower in Honolulu, Hawaii - Photo: Reuters

Currently, Hawaii still maintains a monthly schedule of disaster warning siren drills, including tsunamis.

The nuclear attack warning siren uses a different tone than the natural disaster warning siren and will also be rehearsed monthly, on the first working day of each month.

The drills come amid growing concerns about the growing threat posed by North Korea's nuclear program. Pyongyang has recently tested a series of ballistic missiles and conducted its sixth nuclear test in September.

The siren drills came the same week North Korea tested its new intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-15, which it said could hit anywhere on the US mainland.

Experts warn that the Hwasong-15 appears capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, although it is unclear whether Pyongyang has the ability to make a weapon small enough to be mounted on a missile.

Meanwhile, Hawaii is the closest state to North Korea, and the presence of a powerful military force on the archipelago could also make it a target for attack, according to the AP news agency.

Hawaii is currently the headquarters of the US military in the Asia-Pacific region.

Location of North Korea and Hawaii on the map - Photo: BBC

Vern Miyagi, head of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), warned that a nuclear attack on Hawaii could cause thousands of casualties, thermal radiation, severe infrastructure damage, widespread fires and other chaos.

The last time a nuclear attack warning siren sounded in Hawaii was in the late Cold War years of the 1980s.

"We believe it is imperative that we prepare for any disaster, and in today's world, that includes a nuclear attack," Hawaii Gov. David Ige told the Associated Press.

Mr. David Ige said the drill would ensure that people know what to do in case of an attack.

Authorities estimate that residents and tourists in Hawaii have less than 20 minutes to take shelter if North Korea launches a missile from the country.

Vern Miyagi said the state government has postponed the siren testing by a month from the original plan to prepare people psychologically.

The state also widely publicizes nuclear warning siren drills through mass media, community meetings, and on agency websites.

According to TPO