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News is circulating on the internet about a supposed global blackout that will allegedly occur on November 17. But where did this information come from and what will actually happen in the United States that day? We explain it to you here.
Where did the rumor of the November 17 global blackout originate?
At the beginning of November, a Twitter user shared a clip from an episode of The Simpsons that quickly went viral, as it showed that a massive blackout almost destroyed Springfield on a November 17, six days before Thanksgiving.
On the internet, Matt Groening's series is known for supposedly "predicting" events that later become reality. However, many consider these to be coincidences, as the show has over 700 episodes and addresses current events in a satirical way.
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Why will the United States issue a radio and television alert on November 17?
The rumor of the global blackout gained momentum after internet users discovered that the United States would issue a radio and television alert on November 17. However, this measure is not related to a power outage.
According to the official website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test is scheduled for that day.
This is an exercise conducted "at least once every three years" that will allow FEMA to "identify technical or operational problems before the system is needed during a real emergency."
Therefore, radio and television programming will be interrupted to broadcast the following test message:
- "Esta es una prueba a nivel nacional del Sistema de Alerta de Emergencias, emitida por la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias. Esto es solo una prueba. No es necesario que el público tome ninguna medida".
The government site indicates that some stations may broadcast the message in Spanish, English, or both languages. In addition, the test will last approximately one minute.
During this exercise, the public will not need to take any action.
The test will take place on November 17 at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time.
[Publicidad]