This is not correct. A major of a town activated the town's sirens but because the only state-wide protocol in place was for citizens to return home or stay inside and turn on radio or TV, this was counterproductive. Plus, public radio and TV only started reporting after dozens of people were already dead.

It was a complete failure on all fronts where the federal and state governments then tried to blame part-time mayors afterwards for not being experts in catastrophe management.