What Do They Know? Simulated U.S. nuclear explosion planned

The state plans to hold an exercise in mid-August simulating the explosion of a half-kiloton nuclear device at the entrance of Honolulu Harbor, a mock blast that theoretically would result in 10,000 casualties. State Adjutant Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, head of the Hawai'i National Guard, said Hawai'i is one of the first to take on the nuclear device planning. Several hundred state and military planners and first responders will take part Aug. 14 to 16 in "Exercise 'A Kele." Edward Teixeira, vice director of state Civil Defense, said the name of the exercise uses the Hawaiian words " 'a," for hot and fiery, and "kele," for impurity, signifying radiation. The Department of Homeland Security about two years ago developed 15 national planning scenarios, including simulating an "improvised nuclear device" explosion. Planned for a year and a half, 'A Kele comes as Hawai'i reportedly was targeted on the Fourth of July in a North Korean test of a long-range Taepodong-2 missile that U.S. officials said blew up 42 seconds or sooner after launch.