Google’s initial warning system for earthquakes, according to the company, did not properly warn users about the severity of the earthquake in 2023. The search giant provides Android Earthquake Alert (AEA) in about 100 countries, including areas that do not have access to expensive earthquake early warning (EEW) system. Google’s AEA system was going on the day when a deadly earthquake shook Turkey in 2023, but it did not sufficiently warned millions of Android users in the region before the disaster.
Google’s most severe earthquake alert should warns 10 million users in Türkiye
The AEA Early Warning System generated only 469 “tech action” alert when a large earthquake that had an earthquake of 7.3 on the Richter scale of Turkey two years ago. Google’s system provides two warnings: be cautious (projected light shaking) and action (approximate strong shaking). The former is a basic notification, while the latter occupies the entire screen and bypassed any do not disturb (DND) or silent mode on any Android smartphone.
Google’s AEA system is distributing alerts in areas marked in light green (tap to expand)
Photo Credit: Google
Half a million people received cautious warnings during earthquake, company Told BBC Earlier this week. This warning would not have waking users as earthquakes occurred at 4:17 am, and many phones would have been silenced using DND or sleep mode.
Two years after the incident, Google has published Its conclusions in science journalStating that the algorithm used by its AEA system has estimated the magnitude of earthquakes between 4.5 and 4.9 on the Richter scale. The system also wrongly estimated an earthquake, sent action alerts and four million weak people to send 8,158.
Google blamed users to adequately warns about the earthquake on the boundaries for the “detection algorithms”. After making amendment and running a simulation, the company says that the system would have alerted 10 million users living near the epicator. Similarly, 67 million users living in areas who were less likely to be directly affected by earthquakes can be conscious.
Meanwhile, the company has given details of the alert released to users in recent months. Google says it released First of 11 million alerts within 8 seconds An earthquake in Türkiye in April, which measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. The company also states that during the earthquake, people with Android smartphones had a warning of up to 20 seconds before experienced “medium to strong tremors” in their area due to earthquakes.
To detect the earthquake, Google uses an accelerometer on an Android smartphone to detect the p-wave of an earthquake as it shakes the ground. The company sends the approximate location of the event to its AEA system, analyzing data from many phones and the S-Wave issues a suitable warning to users before making its way in the same area. The entire process occurs in a case of seconds, and users can also choose the option to get these alerts.
Two years after being introduced in Greece and New Zealand, Google’s AEA system was operational in 98 countries by 2023. Google says it has detected quake between M1.9 and M7.8, and issued 790 million alerts for over 2,000 incidents. The company says that its system may eventually inform the first respondents after the earthquake, in addition to the pre -warning for Android smartphone users in this field.
