An emergency management official says Hawaii would face thousands of casualties and severe infrastructure damage from a North Korean missile.

As North Korea develops nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that can reach the islands, Hawaii state lawmakers have been urging emergency management officials to update Cold War-era plans for coping with a nuclear attack.

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency administrator Vern Miyagi says an attack is not likely, but the threat can’t ignored. He told lawmakers today that currently people can do little more than get inside because a missile strike could occur with less than 20 minutes’ warning.

Miyagi also said funds for maintaining emergency shelters ran out after the Cold War ended.

The state has plans to reintroduce monthly tests of an attack-warning siren.

North Korea has launched missiles into the northern Pacific in recent months and has threatened to stage missile tests near Guam.