Early warning earthquake alerts – there’s an app for that

The California Earthquake Early Warning System now offers a free smartphone application which may provide residents with a crucial alert before they feel any shaking.

Ground motion sensors across the state detect earthquakes before humans can sense them and data is transmitted via the new “MyShake” app to notify people to prepare for shaking.  The alerts are sent for earthquakes of a 4.5-magnitude or greater, and the amount of warning time received will depend upon how close you are to the epicenter – folks far away may be forewarned by 20 seconds of notice, while those close to the origin might not receive the warning before shaking is felt.

A few seconds of notice may not seem like much, but every second counts in an emergency, and it may be enough time for you to take protective action.

The “MyShake” app is available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information, visit https://earthquake.ca.gov.