Canadians who received emergency alerts on their cellphones warning of an impending missile strike that turned out to be a false alarm say they were terrified.
鈥淚t was just like sudden panic and I realized I had no idea what to do in this kind of emergency,鈥� Edmonton business owner Stephanie Patel, told 麻豆影视 Channel later Saturday. 鈥淪o we just kind of stood there and I was shaking.鈥�
Patel, who was visiting the Pacific archipelago with her husband, says her first thought was to call her mother in Canada, so she picked up the phone.
鈥淚 just started crying,鈥� Patel said, still shaken from the ordeal. 鈥淢y mom was praying for me, and I just said, 鈥榯his is it -- there鈥檚 a missile coming.鈥欌��
鈥淭hen somebody in the hallway said 鈥業鈥檝e confirmed reports it鈥檚 11 minutes away,鈥欌�� she added.
Patel said that she truly thought she was going to die until finding out via Twitter about 20 minutes later that it was a false alarm.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever been that scared before,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e鈥檙e leaving today and I was just like, 鈥業 can鈥檛 wait to get home to Edmonton.鈥欌��
The alert, which was sent just before 8:10 a.m., said: 鈥淏ALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.鈥� It took just under 40 minutes before messages were sent out declaring the alert a 鈥淔alse Alarm.鈥�
Toronto chef Rodney Bowers is currently visiting Hawaii with friends.
鈥淚鈥檝e never heard a noise like that on my phone before,鈥� he said of the emergency alert when reached by 麻豆影视 Channel later Saturday. 鈥淚t was pretty over-the-top.鈥�
Bowers, who was on his way to the beach, gathered with his friends to draft a plan. They soon learned that there were no bomb shelters in their area but were heartened to recall seeing a U.S. military installation while on a hike in a nearby canyon.
鈥淲e might be in a good spot because the anti-missile site is just down the road,鈥� Bowers remembered telling his friends.
Still, Bowers was 鈥渟cared鈥� until finding out via social media a half-hour later that it was a false alarm, he said.
Bowers said he has no ill feelings towards those responsible for the initial alert.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all good. We make mistakes,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here to live another day and I鈥檓 going to hit the beach so no bad feelings.鈥�
With files from 麻豆影视 Channel and The Associated Press
