Google Earthquake Alert System Failed to Warn Millions in Turkey
Google’s earthquake early warning system, designed to alert Android users in Turkey, failed to accurately notify millions during the 2023 earthquake. The system, which utilizes Android devices to detect seismic activity, only issued 469 “Take Action” alerts, the highest level warning, to those within 98 miles of the epicenter. Instead, half a million people received a lower-level “Be Aware” warning, despite the potential for life-threatening shaking. This miscalculation resulted in a lack of crucial alerts for approximately 10 million people, even though the system was live and capable of issuing warnings before the first 7.8 magnitude quake.
John Q. Hosedrinker