Earthquakes represent major shaking of the earth’s surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves.
These tremors are primarily caused by geological faults, volcanos, landsliding and other seismic waves.
Earthquakes have a major devastating and damaging impact throughout history causing widespread destruction, loss of life, and long-term socio-economic disruption.
The immediate impact of earthquakes includes major destruction of surfaces, building collapse and disruptions to infrastructure like communication networks and transport.
Long-term effects can include displacement of community and houses followed by economic hardships due to damaged infrastructure.
Other factors include continuous psychological trauma and fear among masses.
You may not know that your phones are playing a major role in that concern as Android phones have taken a league in helping its users with earthquake alerts.
How earthquake warning systems work?
Earthquake early warning systems depend upon real- time analysis of waves detected by nearby seismic stations or by your smartphone accelerometers.
These are the sensors in our phones which can detect those waves.
According to the Science, the outcome of an alert system rolled out to Android phones in 98 countries, which increased total warning system access to 2.5 billion people over 3 years.
Issuing more than 1200 alerts over that period the system recorded low-magnitude errors and provided preshake warnings consistent with other detection systems.
How your phone can detect earthquake waves?
If you are in an earthquake-prone area and own an Android phone it can save your life.
There are those early earthquake waves or indicators which most people don’t feel at all but your phone got you covered.
Android phones present in near-by areas can detect those motions and google system then kicks and send early alerts to people who might get hit by the earthquake.
When it comes to earthquakes, every single second matters.
The earthquake alerts can give you a 15-16 sec of warning with a margin, not much time, but enough to move away from windows or move under the desk or avoid walking fast and running or climbing ladders.
According to a study, the Android-based earthquake detection network caught over 11,000 real earthquakes between 2021-2024.
In some cases, people had over a minute’s notice before the shaking even started.
How to activate Earthquake alerts on your Android phones?
- Open settings, tap Safety & Emergency.
- Tap Earthquake Alerts, make sure it’s turned on.
- Tap Test Alert to preview what sounds like.
Interesting fact
Although iPhones have accelerometers too but Apple doesn’t use them for earthquake detectors. iPhone users may use other apps for safety measures.
