Associated Press
View Comments
Washington residents will have new tool to help keep them safe when an earthquake strikes on Tuesday when the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System goes live.
Once launched, ShakeAlert will be able to send residents an alert on their mobile phones, providing valuable seconds of warning to take cover before the shaking from an earthquake reaches their location, KING5 reported.
Washington state has the second-highest earthquake risk in the United States, along with one of the highest tsunami risks, according to the Washington Emergency Management Division. While the system is designed to give residents time to take cover in the event of an earthquake, it cannot predict when an earthquake will strike.
Governor Kate Brown today proclaimed March 11 as
ShakeAlert Day, in recognition of the activation of the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System in Oregon, and the day that coincides with the 10th anniversary of the magnitude 9.1 Great Tohoku, Japan earthquake. Alerting is now available directly to individual wireless devices in Oregon. The Governor’s proclamation encourages all Oregonians to join in the observance.
“One of my top priorities is to improve the state’s resilience from hazards like earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters,” said Governor Brown. “Thanks to support from the Oregon Legislature and our congressional delegation, Oregonians are safer today. When a Cascadia event happens, the critical seconds of notice ShakeAlert warnings provide will save lives and reduce damage to important lifeline systems.”