Earthquake Warning System Flashed to Life on Tuesday

California’s New Safety System Delivered Rapid Alerts Seconds Before Santa Barbara Area Felt the Quake

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake centered in Lamont, California, sent shocks and aftershocks across the state, including in Santa Barbara; no injuries were reported. | Credit: U.S. Geologic Survey

Thousands of smartphones lit up with alerts Tuesday evening as the rumblings of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake were felt throughout Central and Southern California. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Tuesday’s temblor happened at 9:09 p.m. in Lamont, near Bakersfield. Dozens of aftershocks rocked the region, continuing into Wednesday morning, with magnitudes ranging from 2.5 to 4.6.

This most recent earthquake has put California’s newly developed Earthquake Early Warning System to the test. The Earthquake Early Warning System was launched by Governor Gavin Newsom in late 2019, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the disastrous Loma Prieta earthquake, a 6.9 in magnitude that killed 63 people. Using highly sensitive ground-motion detectors, the system can register seismic activity before tremors are felt by humans. It immediately distributes flashing notifications to warn those in the affected area before the strongest shaking begins.

This Tuesday was a testament to the effectiveness of Newsom’s earthquake detection technology. According to a press release from Newsom’s office, the Earthquake Early Warning System notified millions of Californians, some up to 35 seconds before shaking started. Warning time varied throughout the state, as alerts are dispersed faster the closer one is to the earthquake’s epicenter. The press release also detailed that, in addition to alerting individuals, California is using the Earthquake Early Warning System to automate protective activities, such as shutting off water and gas valves, closing bridge gates, and notifying school and medical personnel.

Warnings are powered by ShakeAlert, a computerized program managed by USGS. ShakeAlert collaborates with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to calculate magnitudes and estimate which areas in the state will experience shaking.

Early warning technology has been embedded in the majority of smartphones, allowing alerts to be seamlessly dispensed to millions within a matter of seconds. MyShake, a ShakeAlert-powered app, is also available to be downloaded to smartphones for free. Newsom’s office notes that MyShake sent 517,354 alerts on Tuesday and that following Tuesday’s earthquake there were more than 46,692 new downloads of the MyShake App in just 12 hours.