'Errant' earthquake alert wakes up Bay Area with warning of 5.9 quakebr br The U.S. Geological Survey is investigating how an “errant” report of a 5.9 magnitude earthquake was issued early br br Thursday morning. br br br Just after 8 a.m., Bay Area residents received a MyShake alert warning of magnitude 5.9 quake hitting east of br br Carson City, Nevada, close to the Lake Tahoe region. The quake also appeared on the USGS map of latest br br earthquakes. But within minutes, the report of the quake disappeared from the USGS page.br br br Paul Earle, the director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center, told SFGATE the br br 5.9 quake warning was an “errant message from earthquake early warning system.” Earle said the agency is br br investigating the incident. br br In recent months, parts of the Bay Area have been rattled by dozens of small earthquakes, but experts say that br br doesn’t mean a much larger quake is likely to hit anytime soon. Nearly a year ago on Dec. 9, 2024, a magnitude 5.5 br br quake hit southeast of Reno, also near the Lake Tahoe area.