Gate 2 at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, as seen Feb. 18, 2024. (Jessi Roth/U.S. Air Force)
Kadena Air Base briefly ordered all its residents to shelter-in-place early Sunday morning due to unspecified space debris, according to the 18th Wing.
The overnight notification declared “Alarm Red” for all personnel, the wing said on its official Facebook page at 8:17 a.m. Sunday. The siren and voice alert system on the base also sounded.
The notice went out via email at 1:21 a.m., according to a screenshot of the notices posted by the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook group.
An “Alarm Green” notice declaring all-clear was sent via email about 10 minutes later, according to a Facebook post on the Kadena Spouses Group.
The wing’s Facebook post said “space debris that was identified in the area” prompted the alarm but provided no further information about the debris.
“The base’s safety protocols were activated and after careful monitoring, the situation was cleared within minutes,” the post stated. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this brief event.”
The wing did not respond to emails and phone calls on Sunday seeking comment.
