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https://www.productionai.institute/graph/events/evt-aiid-1303

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Production AI Institute public record · nytimes.com: USGS ShakeAlert System Reportedly Generated False Earthquake Alert Affecting Nevada and California · observed 2025-12-12
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nytimes.com: USGS ShakeAlert System Reportedly Generated False Earthquake Alert Affecting Nevada and California

On December 4, 2025, the USGS's automated ShakeAlert earthquake detection system erroneously issued a report claiming a magnitude 5.9 earthquake had struck near Dayton, Nevada. The reported false alert triggered emergency warnings on cell phones in parts of California, instructing residents to take protective action. USGS officials said no earthquake occurred and are investigating whether sensor noise or other anomalies caused the system failure.

AI Incident Database · Incident 1303

Operator lens (medium): inspect D2 (output validation), D6 (autonomy oversight).

Confidence
82%
Sources
3
Entities
6
Detected
detected 219d ago

Event summary

On December 4, 2025, the USGS's automated ShakeAlert earthquake detection system erroneously issued a report claiming a magnitude 5.9 earthquake had struck near Dayton, Nevada. The reported false alert triggered emergency warnings on cell phones in parts of California, instructing residents to take protective action. USGS officials said no earthquake occurred and are investigating whether sensor noise or other anomalies caused the system failure.

D2D6

Linked entities

  • united-states-geological-survey-(usgs)

    organisation | 70%

  • berkeley-seismological-laboratory

    organisation | 70%

  • general-public

    organisation | 70%

  • general-public-of-nevada

    organisation | 70%

  • general-public-of-california

    organisation | 70%

  • epistemic-integrity

    organisation | 70%

Related graph edges

EdgeTypeConfidence
ent-aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs to ent-psf-d6maps to60%
ent-aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs to ent-psf-d6maps to60%
ent-aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs to ent-psf-d6maps to60%

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Event dates

  • Happened 4 Dec 2025

  • Detected 12 Dec 2025

Sources

  • After False Earthquake Alert, Lawmakers Demand Answers on How It Was Sent

    primary | checked 12 Dec 2025

    Open source
  • AI Incident Database - Incident 1303

    secondary | checked 9 July 2026

    Open source
  • USGS says Nevada quake report was false, blaming automatic system's error

    primary | checked 12 Dec 2025

    Open source
Cite this record

"nytimes.com: USGS ShakeAlert System Reportedly Generated False Earthquake Alert Affecting Nevada and California." https://www.productionai.institute/graph/events/evt-aiid-1303 (observed 2025-12-04; retrieved 2026-07-19). PAI.

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