Android earthquake alert before the quake: Does it really work?

Following the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Istanbul on April 23, claims that some people received early warning notifications on their mobile phones brought the question, "Is there a system that predicts earthquakes in advance?" to the agenda. So, do such early warning systems really exist, and how do they work?

Here are the facts with their scientific basis...

NOTIFICATION BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE: REAL OR COINCIDENCE?

After the earthquake that occurred in Istanbul on April 23, some Android users stated that they received warning notifications on their phones seconds before the shaking. While this situation became a topic of discussion on social media, eyes turned to earthquake early warning systems with scientific infrastructure.

The system at the source of the claims is the Android Earthquake Alerts System. This technology uses the accelerometer sensors inside millions of Android phones worldwide to detect earthquake waves and can send notifications seconds in advance to regions not close to the epicenter. The system changes the warning time according to the magnitude and location of the tremor.

WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS?

The system can warn users with a difference of a few seconds before the destructive S waves arrive by detecting the P waves that create the initial tremor. This time can sometimes be 5 seconds, sometimes 30 seconds. In other words, rather than "knowing" the earthquake in advance, the system analyzes the seismic activity occurring in real-time and sends a warning.

IS THIS SYSTEM USED IN TURKEY?

Yes. Android devices support this feature globally. In Turkey, the system works automatically on devices where Google Play Services are enabled and location services are active. On the other hand, efforts are also underway for a more comprehensive national early warning system developed by AFAD.

WHAT IS THE SITUATION ON IOS DEVICES?

On devices running the iOS operating system, a similar system can be activated with the "Critical Alerts" feature. However, a widespread and device-based seismic network infrastructure like the one used by Android is not yet available in the Apple ecosystem.

On iOS devices, the earthquake warning system is sent to users who have Apple's "Emergency" feature enabled. However, this notification may not reach every user.

HOW TO ACTIVATE THE ANDROID EARTHQUAKE ALERT?

To use the Android earthquake alert system, data connection and wireless network connection must be turned on.

To use this feature, first go to the phone's 'SETTINGS' menu. Then, the earthquake warning system is activated by following the steps Location>Advanced>Earthquake Alerts.

IS THERE A SYSTEM THAT PREDICTS EARTHQUAKES IN ADVANCE?

In short: No. With today's technology, it is not possible to predict earthquakes hours or days in advance. Existing systems can only perform real-time detection. This only offers an early warning opportunity that is short enough to be measured in seconds.