USGS alert sent for Nevada earthquake that did not happen

An alert sent Thursday warning of a strong earthquake in northern Nevada was issued in error, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

At 08:06 local time, the USGS reported that a 5.9 magnitude earthquake occurred near Carson City, the state capital. The alert reached people about 200 miles away in the San Francisco Bay Area, triggering automatic warnings advising residents to take shelter.

However, the agency then canceled the alert minutes later and removed the corresponding entry from its website.

“There was no M5.9 earthquake near Carson City, Nevada,” the USGS said in X.

The US Geological Survey said the alert was issued by its automatic earthquake detection system, which issued the report in error. She said this is believed to be the first time the agency has issued a completely false earthquake notice.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the defect.

Several law enforcement agencies in cities and counties near the epicenter of the reported earthquake confirmed that there was no ground movement.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake is usually strong enough to cause noticeable shaking and minor property damage, according to the Michigan Seismic Magnitude Scale.