Hurricane Irma victims offered phone sex after emergency services tweet wrong helpline number

People whose houses were damaged in the wake of Hurricane Irma were offered phone sex when trying to call a helpline set up by emergency services in Florida after the wrong number was tweeted, local media reported. The ongoing Operation Blue Roof was set up to put sturdy blue tarps on damaged roofs.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Region 4 originally told hurricane victims to dial a 1-800 number for help to repair roofs damaged by the storm. However, it turned out that the correct number was a 1-888 one.

"Welcome to America's hottest talk line. Guys, hot ladies are waiting to talk to you. Press '1' to connect, free, now," said the recording of the 1-800 number, according to The Miami Herald.

The original tweet has since been deleted and replaced with another one showing the correct number.

The mistake occurred just days after emergency officials in Florida came under fire after a lifeguard they used as an interpreter for the deaf signed words about pizza, monsters and a bear during a safety briefing on Irma.

At least 36 people were killed when the hurricane hit Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas earlier in September, destroying buildings and leaving millions of people without electricity.

Another 38 people died and thousands were left homeless when the hurricane, which was then a Category 5 storm, struck several islands in the Caribbean. By the time it hit Florida, Irma had been downgraded to a Category 2.