Emergency Sirens Create False Alarm in Hawaii Neighborhood

Sirens used to alert residents to emergencies such as tsunamis have accidentally gone off twice in a Hawaii neighborhood in the past two days.

Maui County officials say the false alarms went off early Wednesday and Tuesday night in the working class neighborhood of Wailuku in central Maui. The area is the center for government offices and commerce, and is away from many tourist spots or resorts.

Police spokesman Lt. Wayne Ibarra says many concerned residents have called 911, but a civil defense notification says there were no emergencies when the alarms went off.

Officials say they are trying to determine what caused the sirens to malfunction.

Tsunami waves last struck Hawaii in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake across the Pacific in Japan earlier this year.