California’s first-in-the-nation earthquake warning system notified millions ahead of quake

“The system carried out Tuesday—giving Californians many seconds of advance warning” mentioned Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. “This demonstrates that Californians are actually extra protected within the moments earlier than the devastation of main earthquake hits.”

In 2019, on the thirtieth anniversary of the lethal Loma Prieta earthquake, Governor Newsom introduced the launch of the nation’s first statewide Earthquake Early Warning System.

Constructing on this success of the Governor’s 2019 launch, in 2020 Governor Newsom introduced a partnership with Google to include California’s earthquake early warning expertise into all Android smartphones.

Warnings delivered by means of the California Earthquake Early Warning System are powered by ShakeAlert, a computerized program operated by the USA Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with Cal OES that analyzes knowledge from seismic networks in California, calculates preliminary magnitudes, after which estimates which areas will really feel shaking. Seismic networks companions embrace the California Geological Survey, College of California, Berkeley Seismological Laboratory and California Institute of Know-how Seismological Laboratory.

The California Earthquake Early Warning System marries a smartphone software with conventional alert and warning supply strategies reminiscent of Wi-fi Emergency Alerts (WEA). With the latest integration of early warning expertise inside the preferred smartphones in California, the system can ship alerts to most Californians. The system makes use of floor movement sensors from throughout the state to detect earthquakes earlier than people can really feel them. Beneath the state’s management, 50% extra sensors have been put in because the program launched making the system extra correct and in a position to ship alerts sooner.

Tips on how to obtain alerts

To obtain earthquake warnings, there are 3 ways for people and households to get alerts by means of the Earthquake Warning California system.

• MyShake App: Free smartphone app that gives iPhone customers with audio and visible warnings, obtainable in each English and Spanish.
• Smartphones: The vast majority of smartphones with up to date working techniques are robotically subscribed to earthquake early warning which makes use of the identical expertise because the MyShake App; and
• Wi-fi Emergency Alerts (WEAs): No-cost textual content messages for emergency conditions despatched by means of the nation-wide system offering lifesaving data for the State of California

To be taught extra about earthquake preparedness and obtain the earthquake early warning software, go to: www.earthquake.ca.gov.