Google Earthquake Alerts on Android

An Early Earthquake Warning Can Save Lives. Google today announced a new feature for Android devices that will be very useful in earthquakes.

Google is partnering with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to send ShakeAlert-powered earthquake alerts directly to Android devices in California.

A warning a few seconds before the earthquake via an Android device could give you time to fall under the table, or be covered altogether before the shake begins.

Also, from today, any Android phone can use the Android Earthquake Alerts System. Your Android device will act as a mini-seismometer, as it will combine with millions of other Android phones to form the largest seismic detection network in the world.

See how Android Earthquake Alerts System will work:

• All smartphones have tiny accelerometers that can detect signals that an earthquake may be occurring.
• If the phone detects something that it thinks may be an earthquake, it sends a signal to the earthquake detection server, along with the location where the quake occurred.
• The server then combines information from several phones to determine if an earthquake is actually occurring.
• Google will use this information to release a quick, accurate view of the affected area in Google Search.
  When you search for "earthquake" or "earthquake near me", you will find relevant results for your area, along with useful resources on what to do after an earthquake.

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