Earthquake warning system goes live in Washington. What to know about ShakeAlert
People in Washington can now get an alert sent to their phone before they begin to feel an earthquake.
The ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system went live in the state Tuesday. The system is operated by the U.S. Geological Survey, and can warn people before an earthquake arrives.
“For the first time, advance warning of imminent earthquake shaking will be a reality in our region,” Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, said in a news release. “Even just seconds, up to a minute of warning is enough to prepare yourself and take cover — actions that may spare you from injury or even save your life.”
Now that the system is live, ShakeAlert will remind people to take cover when there are signs that an earthquake above a magnitude 4.5 or 5 is about to strike. The warning can come seconds before people feel any shaking.
“An Earthquake Early Warning system could provide the critical time needed for Washingtonians to drop, cover and hold on,” Gov. Jay Inslee said in a March news release. “It has the potential to save lives and reduce damage to critical infrastructure.”
What do I need to do to get ShakeAlert messages?
People in Washington will automatically get ShakeAlert warnings sent to their phones. They don’t need to download anything.
The messages work similarly to how AMBER Alerts and other public safety alerts appear on their phone.
Some people will get a “wireless emergency alert” message that sends push notifications to phones. Android users have built-in alerts, and they will receive alerts for earthquakes that are greater than a 4.5-magnitude.
“At this time, there are no downloadable mobile apps in Washington powered by ShakeAlert,” the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network said in a news release. “Together, WEA alerts and built-in Android alerts will be able to reach the majority of Washington residents should a major quake strike our state, with no downloads required.”
How does it work?
ShakeAlert doesn’t predict earthquakes, but it detects them quickly after they begin. The system can relay crucial information to people across the state before shaking gets to their location.
“(The) network of seismic sensors throughout Washington State constantly monitors the ground for motion,” the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network said. “Earthquakes can start just about anywhere, but we place our stations where the risk is highest, taking into account both the background level of earthquake hazard and the locations where the highest population is exposed.”
Once four or more stations start to feel earthquake shaking, algorithms will find the location and magnitude of the quake. Then people will get an alert and be able to take action.
The system has been in place in California and Oregon.
This story was originally published May 4, 2021 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Earthquake warning system goes live in Washington. What to know about ShakeAlert."