Particle.news
Download on the App Store
18 ARTICLES
·
4h ago

False 5.9 Quake Alert Hits Phones Across California and Nevada as USGS Probes Errant Message

Officials confirm no event occurred near Carson City despite the early-morning warning.

Image
People are seen walking through the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino parking lot in Reno, Nev., on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. More than 100 RVs, campers and converted buses were parked Wednesday afternoon as the last of the Burning Man celebrants made their way journey back from the Black Rock Desert 100 miles to the north. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner)
Image
False M5.9 earthquake alert near Dayton, Nevada caused by automated detection error

Overview

  • At 8:06 a.m. PT, the ShakeAlert system issued a magnitude 5.9 warning for near Carson City that did not occur.
  • USGS canceled the notice within minutes and deleted the phantom event from its website and data feeds.
  • Alerts were delivered through the MyShake app and Wireless Emergency Alerts, reaching users in the Bay Area, the Sacramento region, eastern California and Reno.
  • USGS leaders called the notification an errant message under investigation, with a geophysicist saying no earthquakes were detected.
  • The episode echoes prior misfires involving MyShake and ShakeAlert, raising fresh scrutiny of reliability and safeguards for earthquake early-warning systems.