Google rolls out earthquake alerts system for android users in India

Search giant Google has launched its Earthquake Alerts System for Android smartphone users in India. The system, developed in consultation with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Seismology Center (NSC), provides early warnings of seismic activities, available in multiple Indian languages.

The alert system leverages tiny accelerometers in Android smartphones to detect the initial stages of an earthquake. When multiple phones in a specific area register seismic activity, the information is aggregated to estimate the event’s epicentre and magnitude, and users are subsequently alerted.