Given the constant reporting of North Korean threats to bracket Guam with potentially nuclear-tipped missiles, it's likely that some early morning listeners on the island got a scare when local radio stations KTWG and KSTO mistakenly broadcast an unscheduled test of the Emergency Alert Broadcast System (EAS). The alert was broadcast at 12:25 a.m. Wednesday.
The message: A BROADCAST STATION OR CABLE SYSTEM HAS ISSUED A CIVIL DANGER WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES/AREAS: Guam, Guam; AT 12:25 AM ON AUG 15, 2017 EFFECTIVE UNTIL 12:40 AM.
The stations offered a rapid correction: The unauthorized test was NOT connected to any emergency, threat or warning. Guam Homeland Security and Office of Civil Defense have worked with KSTO to ensure the human error will not occur again. There is no scheduled test of the EAS or All Hazards Alert Warning System sirens Wednesday.
“Residents and visitors are reminded to remain calm, even with the continued unconfirmed reports throughout the media,” said George Charfauros, Guam Homeland Security Advisor. “Remember there is no change in threat level, we continue business as usual and know there are U.S. Department of Defense capabilities in place. We
George Charfauros, Homeland Security Advisor
continue communication with our federal and military partners and have not received official statement warranting any concern for imminent threat to Guam or the Marianas.”
The Guam Power Authority also announced there were a couple of un-anmounced power outages Tuesday evening, but emphasized that they had nothing to do with off-island threats.