Millions To Get Phone Alert Thursday For CA Earthquake Test

CALIFORNIA — Millions of people will receive a phone alert Thursday, warning them of a magnitude 5.0 earthquake in San Francisco. But don’t worry, it’s just a test.

The MyShake application test will occur at 10:19 a.m., and while the drill will notify users of a fictional earthquake and make alert sounds, it will also have a test banner and include audio indicating that the emergency is not real.

The test is part of the Annual Great ShakeOut, an effort by the governor’s Office of Emergency Services to improve earthquake preparedness.

MyShake has more than 2.7 million downloads and detects significant earthquakes quickly to notify users to take action to protect themselves during seismic activity. Users will receive several warnings before the test, which will go out to people in California, Oregon and Washington.

During the Great ShakeOut, state officials are conducting a seven-stop tour, bringing a shake simulator capable of replicating a 7.0 magnitude earthquake to cities across the state.

In the event of an earthquake, Californians are advised to drop, cover and hold onto something if indoors; pull over, stop and set the parking brake if driving; turn face down and cover their head with a pillow if in bed; and stay away from buildings if outside.

The likelihood of a 7.0 major earthquake causing serious damage in the next 30 years is 46 percent in the Los Angeles area and 51 percent in the San Francisco Bay area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

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