The ShakeAlert system that warns about imminent shaking arriving from earthquakes sent a false alarm across California on Thursday morning for a magnitude 5.9 temblor that did not happen.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 shook Nevada on Thursday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey. Phones buzzed as far away as San Francisco, though no shaking was evident in much of the Bay Area.

Residents in Nevada woke up to a shocking 5.9 magnitude earthquake alert, but after the panic settled, the whole thing turned out to be a fake quake alert sent by USGS.

“On December 4, 2025, the ShakeAlert EEW system released an incorrect alert for a magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Reno and Carson City, Nevada,” the statement read. “The event did not occur, and has been deleted from USGS websites and data feeds. The USGS is working to understand the cause of the false alert.”

According to USGS data, the seven earthquakes occurred over a span of two days and were centered near the city of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. Preliminary readings placed the epicenters predominantly along or near the Rodgers Creek Fault, a fault known for its seismic activity and historical potential for damaging earthquakes.

A shake alert went out over the U.S. Geological Survey's early warning system on Dec. 4, warning that a 5.9 earthquake near Carson City in western Nevada could produce heavy shaking in the region. But moments later, the survey announced the alert, which was sent to people as far west as San Francisco, was a false alarm.

An alert sent to people across California warning about a strong earthquake striking Northern Nevada on Thursday morning was sent in error, officials said.

Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but they're most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.