ISLAMABAD – A first-ever publicly available app has been introduced whichissues a warning that an earthquakeis expected soon.
Called ShakeAlertLA, the app has been launched inLos Angeles (LA) and it employs mobile technology to warn residentswhen the US Geological Survey’s early-warning sensor networkshows that an earthquake of magnitude 5.0 or beyond is about tohit their location.
The warning comes a few seconds before the earthquake. The app is available for both, Apple and Android smartphones and fornow, it is only available for State of LA.
While there are many public service agencies across the westcoast that utilize the USGS’ early warning sensor network todetect earthquakes, it is for first time, the residents have sometechnology available to receive alerts immediately across the region.
Moreover, existing alerts are too slow. The purpose of earlywarning is to get people into that safe place beforeshaking starts instead of once shaking starts.
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“If you have a few seconds, you can get under a sturdytable, you can get away from that bookcase, you can move awayfrom hazardous materials, you can move away from the placesyou are likely to be injured,” says a developer.
Notably, countries like Mexico and Japan already haveEarthquake Early Warning (EEW) systems put in place. Theearthquake-prone LA had decided to join the Club in 2016, announcinga launch date at end of 2018.
