A harrowing zombie alert was issued by hackers managed who found their way into the emergency alert system of Great Falls affiliate KRTV and its CW station. The message was quickly removed and KRTV broadcasted an apology.

The EAS warning interrupted a broadcast of "The Steve Wilkos Show" devoted to "teen cheaters" and contained some pretty serious stuff, if you've been watching The Walking Dead, that is. "Civil authorities in your area have reported that the bodies of the dead are rising from their graves and attacking the living," went the broadcast. "Follow the messages onscreen that will be updated as information become available. Do not attempt to approach or apprehend these bodies as they are considered extremely dangerous." Even though broadcasting fake messages of distress is against the law, and cannot be condoned, we would have quite liked the short-lived feeling of dread followed by the secret relief. At least four people experienced just that, as the station received separate calls enquiring into the validity of the zombie news. Local police also had to confim that there was no emergency. "We can report in the city, there have been no sightings of dead bodies rising from the ground," Lt. Shane Sorensen of the Great Falls Police Department told the Great Falls Tribune.

On its website, KRTV posted a notice saying: "Someone apparently hacked into the Emergency Alert System and announced on KRTV and the CW that there was an emergency in several Montana counties. This message did not originate from KRTV, and there is no emergency." 

Watch Some Real Zombies In The Warm Bodies Trailer: