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False Earthquake Alert Sparks Concerns Over USGS Accuracy

12/13/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Geological Survey's ShakeAlert system issued a false magnitude-5.9 earthquake alert near the California–Nevada border and reached cellphones hundreds of miles away.
Representative Kevin Mullin and other Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the director of the U.S. Geological Survey requesting the cause of the false alert and safeguards for accuracy.
They emphasized the importance of public trust in the U.S. Geological Survey for real-time earthquake information.

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Story summary

The U.S. Geological Survey's ShakeAlert system issued a false magnitude-5.9 earthquake alert near the California–Nevada border and reached cellphones hundreds of miles away.
Representative Kevin Mullin and other Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the director of the U.S. Geological Survey requesting the cause of the false alert and safeguards for accuracy.
They emphasized the importance of public trust in the U.S. Geological Survey for real-time earthquake information.