False Earthquake Alert Confuses Northern Nevada Residents

CARSON CITY, Nevada — An alert warning residents of a 5.9 magnitude earthquake was mistakenly sent on Thursday by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The alert was issued at 8:06 a.m., claiming that a quake had struck near Carson City, the state capital.

The erroneous alert reached individuals nearly 200 miles away, including residents in the San Francisco Bay Area, causing many to seek safety. However, within minutes, the USGS canceled the alert and confirmed on social media that no earthquake had occurred.

The alert was generated by the USGS’s automatic earthquake detection system, marking what the agency stated was the first incident of issuing a completely false notification. An investigation is currently underway to identify the cause of this malfunction.

Local authorities in areas around Carson City reported no seismic activity. “We did not detect any earthquakes,” said Paul Caruso, a USGS geophysicist. Additionally, Lyon County officials reassured residents that there was no danger and advised against calling emergency services.

Professor Christie Rowe, the director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, noted that the alert originated from the ShakeAlert system, which utilizes seismic data primarily from California. Rowe mentioned the system, which normally provides reliable early warnings, is being scrutinized to prevent future errors.

Tuesday’s error surprised many residents, as the public relied on protocols for earthquake readiness. As of now, USGS plans to release an official statement regarding the incident following their investigation.