Earthquake Early Warning systems—in place in several countries and U.S. states—warn people before damaging earthquake waves reach them. Rather than predicting, the system relies on a seismic network to (1) detect early, non-destructive seismic waves, (2) rapidly estimate an earthquake location and magnitude, and (3) issue a widespread alert before strong shaking reaches areas away from the epicenter.

People should expect shorter warning times for stronger shaking, so it is important to take protective actions immediately after receiving an alert.

How it works

1. An established seismic network rapidly detects incoming seismic waves after an earthquake.
2. A data center determines location and magnitude.
3. An alert is issued to a messaging system to warn people before the shaking reaches them.
4. Some automatic actions may happen, such as shutting off gas lines or securing emergency response facilities.
5. This all happens within seconds.

Where ShakeAlert® is in use already

ShakeAlert® is the national system for earthquake early warning led by the US Geological Survey in partnership with select states. The ShakeAlert® earthquake early warning system has been in use in California since 2019 and Oregon and Washington since 2021.

Natural Resources Canada worked with USGS to create a ShakeAlert® system that launched in 2024 in British Columbia. Quebec and Ontario are planned for 2025.

Alert distribution

Earthquake early warning facilities will serve rapid, reliable alert products, including event messages, updates, status, and follow-up messages to technical users and the public. Although ShakeAlert® messages and follow-up messages are generated by the system, the USGS depends on the capabilities of other agencies and private sector partners to tailor and distribute these alerts and messages for the public and their clients.

How will earthquake early warning be related to tsunami warnings?

Because Alaskans already receive warnings for potential tsunamis, the rollout of ShakeAlert® will require strong coordination with NOAA.

Poorly targeted tsunami warnings have been an issue during recent earthquakes. ShakeAlert® geotargets recipients in a different way and–unlike the tsunami system– allows for alert dissemination by licensed private partners. If done correctly, the technical developments of ShakeAlert® should be able to improve the dissemination of tsunami warnings. Ideally, these will be rolled into a single coordinated message.

The expansion of the monitoring network that will enable ShakeAlert® includes the same instrumentation that is used for tsunami warning (seismic stations, GPS/GNSS). The ShakeAlert® network will directly improve the accuracy and timeliness of tsunami forecasts.

Because earthquakes and tsunamis in Alaska are part of a single natural hazard event, public education of these events is unified. In recent years NOAA has dramatically cut its support for Alaska’s in-community education programs under the NTHMP (National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program). The ShakeAlert® plan includes a significant public education component that would allow the Earthquake Center and other state partners to rekindle the strong tsunami/earthquake outreach programming that used to exist.

How will earthquake early warning benefit Alaskans (and visitors)?

Individuals

• Public alerts. Provide alerts via smartphone, siren, and public broadcasts before shaking starts locally.
• Personal action. Provide time to take personal action—duck under a sturdy table, move away from windows and hazardous materials.
• Preparedness. Alerts and drills build a culture of preparedness and reduce panic during actual earthquakes.
• Confidence. Early warning gives people a sense of control over their safety.

Industry

• Utilities. Automatically shut down gas and oil pipelines, reactors, and heavy machinery to prevent fires, leaks, and other damage.
• Workplace. Halt construction, stop factory operations, stop elevators to prevent injuries.
• Transportation. Stops trains, traffic, and runways to prevent vehicle crashes. Stop vehicles on bridges or in tunnels. Get out of landslide and avalanche zones.
• Minimize losses. Automatically close valves, lock precision machinery, and protect critical assets to avoid equipment damage or employee injuries.
• Economic growth. Demonstrate that Alaska has the same proactive earthquake measures as other states and countries.

Emergency Preparedness

• Hospitals. Move patients away from hazards and secure patients in surgery to prevent injury to vulnerable people.
• Schools. Guide students through preventative actions.
• Emergency responders. Prepare first responders and their facilities (for example, automatically opening garage doors to ensure vehicles do not get stuck inside).

Military

• Intelligence. Provide advance notice of potentially compromising situations for military bases and installations.
• Prepare. Take individual actions for personnel safety. Halt dangerous or sensitive operations, and secure munitions so shaking does not cause damage.
• Readiness. Prepare hangers, vehicles, and response teams for quick mobilization in response to damage or rescue operations.

Science and engineering

• Data. Provide far better earthquake observations to improve understanding of future earthquakes.
• Tsunami. Improve tsunami warning accuracy using new early-warning-enabled data.
• Landslide. Advance landslide monitoring with expanded seismic network.
• Volcano. Improve the early detection of eruptions using the expanded seismic network.
• Resilience. Encourage earthquake-resilient construction practices with improved earthquake awareness.

Non-ShakeAlert® early warning

Google announced in September 2024 that its Android phones will soon receive earthquake alerts in the U.S., including Alaska. The Alaska Earthquake Center welcomed Google’s innovative approach and speedy delivery of an earthquake alert mechanism, as it supports our mission to strengthen Alaska’s resilience to earthquakes and tsunamis. There are limitations to the Google system, however.

In the Google model, an Android phone with a built-in accelerometer serves as an earthquake detector. Enough phones near the epicenter would generate the information needed to alert those more distant to the impending shaking. Just like with any type of early warning that exists today, people close to the epicenter would have little to no warning.

This is not an “integrated” system – in other words, alerts only reach individuals who have Android phones with location sharing enabled. It doesn’t integrate with any type of emergency response action by an organization (e.g., gas valve shutoffs, emergency responders)

Because it only reaches phones, it cannot generate alerts for offshore earthquakes, which are common and destructive in Alaska.

It is a good start in AK, and people seem eager for any type of warning/alert. This is not a substitute for ShakeAlert®, which Google acknowledges (https://crisisresponse.google/android-alerts)

Learn More

Google Expands Earthquake Alert Coverage in U.S.
Alaska Earthquake Center article (September 2024) about Google's announcement that Android phones will receive earthquake alerts in the U.S., including Alaska.

How to Make Earthquake Early Warning Work in Alaska
Alaska Earthquake Center article (October 2023) about what early warning is and our initial assessment of what would be needed to make it work in Alaska.

“Get Ready Alaska” podcast interviewing the Earthquake Center’s Natalia Ruppert about earthquake early warning.

U.S. Geological Survey early warning information
Introductory information about what early warning is and where it is active. Sign up for ShakeAlert® earthquake alerts, news, and updates.

ShakeAlert®
Resources for emergency managers, educators, and outreach coordinators. These include videos and classroom activities, outreach toolkits, ShakeAlert® system information, and published research articles.

ShakeAlert® images and animations from IRIS
Education and training materials about how earthquake early warning works and what kind of warning times are possible, focused on California, Oregon, and Washington.