Panic of Streets of La after Tornado Alert
By Mark Sage, PA News, in New York
People in Los Angeles were left terrified that they were about to be hit by a monster storm.
The California governor’s Office of Emergency Services mistakenly issued a tornado alert for LA on Saturday and warned “if no shelter is available lie flat in the nearest ditch”.
“At 8.25am National Weather Service Doppler radar was tracking a large and extremely dangerous tornado seven miles south of Glendale... or about near downtown Los Angeles,” said the alert, on the office’s Emergency Digital Information Service.
The bulletin advised: “If you are in the path of this dangerous storm move indoors and to the lowest level of the building.
“Stay away from windows. If driving do not seek shelter under a highway overpass.”
It added: “If no shelter is available lie flat in the nearest ditch or other low spot and cover your head with your hands.”
The warning was like nothing ever seen by the people of LA, and conjured up images of the city being torn apart by high winds.
Shortly after the warning was issued, an advisory followed, stating simply: “Please disregard the previous tornado warning. No tornado exists.”
Staff at the Office of Emergency Services are trying to establish what caused the error.
