Q&A: ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system arriving in Pacific Northwest washington.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washington.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Starting March 11, 2021, ShakeAlert-powered earthquake early warning alerts will be available for delivery directly to wireless devices in Oregon.
In May 2021, Washington state will follow suit and complete the ShakeAlert public alerting rollout across the entire West Coast. California enabled ShakeAlert-powered alerts in October 2019.
As massive slabs of Earth squish into and grind past each other off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, many people may wonder when they will feel ensuing earthquakes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Although the USGS cannot predict where and when future earthquakes will occur, the bureau, along with a team of organizations, helped create a system that can provide vital seconds of warning that an earthquake is happening and shaking is imminent.
Early Warning Earthquake System In Place
New technology is in place that alerts the public of a potential earthquake. ShakeAlert, an earthquake early warning system powered by the U.S. Geological Survey,
uses science and technology to detect significant earthquakes quickly so alerts can reach people before shaking arrives.
“These seconds of advance warning allow people and systems to take actions to protect life and property from destructive shaking,” according to a Oregon Office of Emergency Management news release. “It is already in place along most of the West Coast and operational for key infrastructure systems such as automatic water valve shutoffs and starting back-up generators.”