Latest news with #ShakeAlert
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Scientists issue dire warning that US is unprepared for inevitable natural disaster with devastating impacts — here's what you need to know
Experts are warning that the United States could be dangerously underprepared for the next natural disaster after spending and staffing cuts to critical federal agencies. As CNN reported, a major earthquake is brewing in the Pacific Northwest, and the U.S. is the least prepared it has ever been. It's not a case of if but when it will hit, and the odds increase each year. There are more immediate concerns with hurricane season about to begin, along with a host of other extreme weather events. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducts critical climate research and monitors conditions worldwide. The Trump administration is eyeing staffing cuts of up to 20%, per the New York Times, which will severely hamper an already understaffed agency. The United States Geological Survey monitors ShakeAlert, an early warning system for earthquakes, and maintains 24/7 monitoring of volcanic activity in Hawai'i. Spending and staffing cuts are making that crucial work unsustainable in the long run. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency lost 200 employees in February, the proposed budget will slash funding by $644 million, and the agency may be scrapped entirely, per the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Because of planet-heating pollution from dirty energy sources, extreme weather events have increased in frequency and severity. Short-term spending cuts will have major long-term implications. For example, axing FEMA will eliminate decades of expertise and knowledge at a stroke. It will make coordinating a response to disaster much more difficult, and some states and communities will feel that impact all the more. Individual states do not have the capacity to absorb the work currently overseen by FEMA, NOAA, and the USGS. It might seem daunting, but taking practical and straightforward steps can undo some of the damage. First, staying informed about climate issues and backing policymakers who prioritize the environment are crucial. Environmental concerns and funding the agencies that safeguard them need not be partisan issues. Indeed, most Americans support FEMA, and almost all states benefit regularly from the agency's help. Conversations with family and friends about these issues can go a long way toward lasting change. What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Move somewhere else Reinforce my home Nothing This is happening already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
New York Times
15-04-2025
- Climate
- New York Times
How a Nifty Government Tool Knows About Earthquakes Before You Feel Them
Millions of people across Southern California learned about a 5.2-magnitude earthquake that hit San Diego County on Monday not from their windows rattling or their picture frames clattering, but from a noisy alert on their mobile phones seconds before the shaking started. The urgent messages — advising people to 'drop, cover, hold on. Protect yourself' — were created with a tool from the United States Geological Survey known as ShakeAlert. The system detects earthquakes as soon as they start happening and quickly gathers information to determine which areas are likely to experience strong shaking. ShakeAlert operates on the notion that each and every fraction of a second is precious time that people can use to react and avoid injury before shaking from an earthquake occurs. Here's how the system works: Picture a small car six feet underground. The ShakeAlert early warning system monitors for earthquakes across the West Coast with the help of tens of thousands of seismic stations, each the size of a compact car and buried about six feet underground. The stations are equipped with sensors that detect the full spectrum of seismic waves, the vibrations that travel through the Earth and toward the surface after an earthquake, similar to the way ripples radiate across water when a pebble is dropped into a lake. The waves travel at different speeds, and the success of the system is built on this. The fast-moving primary waves, or P-waves, travel at about four miles per second; they are gentler and less likely to cause destruction. The stronger secondary waves, or S-waves, move much more slowly, about two and a half miles per second. They are more likely to cause damage in an earthquake. The goal of ShakeAlert is to capture the P-wave data, process it on the U.S.G.S.'s high-speed computers and make it available to government agencies and private companies like apps that send out alerts before the S-waves hit the surface. 'It's all automated, and it's all happening really fast,' said Robert de Groot, a physical scientist at the agency and a coordinator for ShakeAlert. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Saudi Gazette
15-04-2025
- Climate
- Saudi Gazette
5.2-magnitude earthquake hits California near San Diego
SAN DIEGO — A 5.2 earthquake rattled San Diego, California, and the surrounding area on Monday afternoon, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake struck at 10:08 local time (18:00 GMT) with an epicenter in Julian, California. The resort town is located in the Cuyamaca Mountains about an hour north-east of San Diego. Around two hours after the earthquake, Perette Godwin, a spokeswoman for the City of San Diego, told the BBC there had been no reports of structural damage or injuries. The San Diego sheriff's office also said it had not yet "received any reports of injuries or major damage caused by the earthquake," but said it was a "developing situation". California Governor Gavin Newsom's office posted on X shortly after the quake that he had been briefed on the situation. The USGS continued to report smaller aftershocks in the region in the hour after the quake. The National Weather Service, meanwhile, said a tsunami was not expected. In the moments before it struck, emergency alerts issued by the USGS ordered residents to take shelter as far away as Los Angeles. "Drop, cover, hold on. Protect yourself," the alert read. Kevin Manaugh was eating breakfast when he received an alert, and quickly took shelter under a door frame. "Sure enough, the quaking started to happen," Manaugh said. "I've lived in San Diego most of my life, I was born here, and this is probably the worst quake that I've ever felt." "It was a bit shocking," he continued. "Everything shook, it shook a lot. It rattled around and lasted maybe three seconds, and then it was over." Though his house suffered no damage, Manaugh said he would likely prepare in case another earthquake struck. "Between this and the wildfires in Los Angeles, it made me think that it's probably a good idea to have an evacuation bag," he said. Earthquakes are notoriously difficult to predict, but the alert's lead time - about 15 seconds for Manaugh - was enough to take action. "The way they were able to predict that, it gave me time to get to a point of safety," he said. The USGS uses seismographs and other sensors buried in the ground throughout California to make a "lightning fast" detection when the earth starts to move, said Robert de Groot, a team lead for the agency's ShakeAlert system. The sensors convey data to a processing center, which helps scientists determine the strength and potential scale of the quake. "We use about a second's worth of data to determine what is going on," de Groot said. USGS data is quickly distributed to Google and various earthquake apps to help warn residents. In the case of larger quakes, like the one that struck Southern California on Monday morning, officials send a notification through the wireless emergency alert system to ensure it reaches anyone who could be in harms way. On Monday, that included de Groot, who felt the earthquake in Pasadena, 130 miles north of the epicenter. He saw the alert, and quickly took cover under a table until the rattling stopped. "Nobody likes the ground shaking," he said, "even though earthquakes are my day job." — BBC
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
'That was awesome!' California's earthquake early warning system let many know about today's temblor
Monday's magnitude 5.2 temblor marked another success for California's earthquake early warning system, with users in some areas saying they received alerts on their phones before they felt shaking. The alerts in some cases provided pivotal seconds of lead time — a heads-up that could be critical in the event of a major earthquake. 'That was awesome! GREAT EARLY WARNING!!!' a resident told the USGS' ShakeAlert social media account on X. 'I got the alert on my phone near downtown San Diego several seconds before the primary [shaking] wave hit. WELL DONE!' The temblor was centered near the San Diego County mountain town of Julian. Because shaking from a quake travels at the speed of sound through rock, slower than the speed of modern communications systems, alerts sounded in some parts of Los Angeles before the shaking had even reached the city. No major damage or injuries were reported. The ShakeAlert earthquake warning system — which is operational in California, Oregon and Washington state — is run by the U.S. Geological Survey. The system relies on a vast array of seismic sensors to detect shaking as soon as it happens. That information is then sent to computers to determine whether and where to send an alert. People in Camarillo, Manhattan Beach, Palm Springs, Riverside, the San Diego neighborhood of Rancho Peñasquitos, Santa Ana and southern Orange County said they got the earthquake early warning before the shaking started, according to posts on social media and interviews with local news outlets. "Corona Del Mar here. Got the alert about 5-10 seconds before a big jolt. Great service," one resident posted on X. "I got the alert 1 second before I felt it! I'm in Palm Springs! I'm extremely impressed," another user added. Read more: California earthquake early warning system: How to get it now "SHAKE ALERT DID IT!! Had phone in hand ... and I had 5+ seconds to respond," wrote another. Geologists at the California Geological Survey's office in Los Angeles also received early warning notifications on their phones "so we were prepared for some shaking," one scientist posted on social media. One of the fastest ways people can get earthquake early warnings is by downloading MyShake, a free app developed by UC Berkeley that provides alerts in partnership with the USGS and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. The app can be downloaded to Android devices as well as on iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. Android phones also have a built-in earthquake early warning app. More than half a million people in California got early warnings through MyShake on Dec. 5 for a magnitude 7 earthquake that struck 30 miles off the Humboldt County coast; and on Dec. 9 for a magnitude 5.7 earthquake centered about 50 miles southeast of Reno, which was widely felt across Central California. San Diego County also offers the free SD Emergency app, which includes the ShakeReadySD earthquake early warning tool. Read more: California earthquake warning app is now available on more devices. Here's how to get it Some Angelenos who got the alert said it elevated what is typically a fairly normal situation — especially for longtime residents. One person posted on X that she "was, frankly, scared" after getting the "Drop. Cover. Hold on" directions from the alert, though she's lived through dozens of other quakes. That feeling, however, can lessen as people become accustomed to the alerts. For some, it's helpful to know that the shaking they're feeling is actually an earthquake, so they can take protective actions such as dropping under a desk, covering and holding on. Earthquake early warnings are now commonplace in seismically active areas around the world, including in Japan, Mexico and Taiwan. Android phones and those with the MyShake or ShakeReadySD apps installed have the lowest threshold for earthquake early warnings. They're set to trigger alerts if a quake is estimated at magnitude 4.5 or higher and the intensity of shaking at the phone's location is expected to be 'weak' — defined as Level 3 on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. Shaking of that intensity would be noticeable to people indoors, especially on the upper floors of a building, and may cause cars to rock slightly. Some people indoors might liken the feeling to vibrations from a passing truck. Read more: California's earthquake revolution: Early-warning systems make strides, issuing more than 5 million alerts People who don't have smartphones or haven't installed early warning apps can still get alerts on their cellphones — but only when a higher magnitude or greater level of shaking is projected at their location. Those alerts are sent through the Wireless Emergency Alert system, similar to Amber Alerts. One downside to relying on the Wireless Emergency Alerts, however, is that they provide less information than an app-generated alert. There is a setting you can change on your iPhone to improve the speed, accuracy and reliability of emergency alerts, Apple says. To do that, you can turn on 'local awareness' by going to settings, then notifications; scrolling down to 'Government Alerts,' then tapping 'Emergency Alerts' and navigating to the option. On its website, MyShake suggests opening the app every month or so to keep it 'fresh and ready to receive alerts. Not using the app for a prolonged period might cause the app to be put into deep sleep.' One easy way to do this, MyShake suggests, is to click on the app when it notifies you — without any urgent, alarming warning sounds — of a significant earthquake somewhere around the world, which typically happens every two weeks. 'By tapping on this notification, and opening the MyShake app, you can keep the app fresh, and not have to rely on your own reminders.' MyShake is now available in six languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese — the last voiced in Mandarin, and using traditional characters. MyShake will use the first language that it supports from your device's language and region settings, but on an iPhone you can change the language by going to settings, then apps, and selecting MyShake before choosing a preferred language. Times staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
15-04-2025
- Climate
- Los Angeles Times
‘That was awesome!' California's earthquake early warning system let many know about today's temblor
Monday's magnitude 5.2 temblor marked another success for California's earthquake early warning system, with users in some areas saying they received alerts on their phones before they felt shaking. The alerts in some cases provided pivotal seconds of lead time — a heads-up that could be critical in the event of a major earthquake. 'That was awesome! GREAT EARLY WARNING!!!' a resident told the USGS' ShakeAlert social media account on X. 'I got the alert on my phone near downtown San Diego several seconds before the primary [shaking] wave hit. WELL DONE!' The temblor was centered near the San Diego County mountain town of Julian. Because shaking from a quake travels at the speed of sound through rock, slower than the speed of modern communications systems, alerts sounded in some parts of Los Angeles before the shaking had even reached the city. No major damage or injuries were reported. The ShakeAlert earthquake warning system — which is operational in California, Oregon and Washington state — is run by the U.S. Geological Survey. The system relies on a vast array of seismic sensors to detect shaking as soon as it happens. That information is then sent to computers to determine whether and where to send an alert. People in Camarillo, Manhattan Beach, Palm Springs, Riverside, the San Diego neighborhood of Rancho Peñasquitos, Santa Ana and southern Orange County said they got the earthquake early warning before the shaking started, according to posts on social media and interviews with local news outlets. 'Corona Del Mar here. Got the alert about 5-10 seconds before a big jolt. Great service,' one resident posted on X. 'I got the alert 1 second before I felt it! I'm in Palm Springs! I'm extremely impressed,' another user added. 'SHAKE ALERT DID IT!! Had phone in hand ... and I had 5+ seconds to respond,' wrote another. Geologists at the California Geological Survey's office in Los Angeles also received early warning notifications on their phones 'so we were prepared for some shaking,' one scientist posted on social media. One of the fastest ways people can get earthquake early warnings is by downloading MyShake, a free app developed by UC Berkeley that provides alerts in partnership with the USGS and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. The app can be downloaded to Android devices as well as on iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. Android phones also have a built-in earthquake early warning app. More than half a million people in California got early warnings through MyShake on Dec. 5 for a magnitude 7 earthquake that struck 30 miles off the Humboldt County coast; and on Dec. 9 for a magnitude 5.7 earthquake centered about 50 miles southeast of Reno, which was widely felt across Central California. San Diego County also offers the free SD Emergency app, which includes the ShakeReadySD earthquake early warning tool. Some Angelenos who got the alert said it elevated what it typically a fairly normal situation — especially for longtime residents. One person posted on X that she 'was, frankly, scared' after getting the 'Drop. Cover. Hold on' directions from the alert, though she's lived through dozens of other quakes. That feeling, however, can lessen as people become accustomed to the alerts. For some, it's helpful to know that the shaking they're feeling is actually an earthquake, so they can take protective actions such as dropping under a desk, covering and holding on. Earthquake early warnings are now commonplace in seismically active areas around the world, including in Japan, Mexico and Taiwan. Android phones and those with the MyShake or ShakeReadySD apps installed have the lowest threshold for earthquake early warnings. They're set to trigger alerts if a quake is estimated at magnitude 4.5 or higher and the intensity of shaking at the phone's location is expected to be 'weak' — defined as Level 3 on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. Shaking of that intensity would be noticeable to people indoors, especially on the upper floors of a building, and may cause cars to rock slightly. Some people indoors might liken the feeling to vibrations from a passing truck. People who don't have smartphones or haven't installed early warning apps can still get alerts on their cellphones — but only when a higher magnitude or greater level of shaking is projected at their location. Those alerts are sent through the Wireless Emergency Alert system, similar to Amber Alerts. One downside to relying on the Wireless Emergency Alerts, however, is that they provide less information than an app-generated alert. There is a setting you can change on your iPhone to improve the speed, accuracy and reliability of emergency alerts, Apple says. To do that, you can turn on 'local awareness' by going to settings, then notifications; scrolling down to 'Government Alerts,' then tapping 'Emergency Alerts' and navigating to the option. On its website, MyShake suggests opening the app every month or so to keep it 'fresh and ready to receive alerts. Not using the app for a prolonged period might cause the app to be put into deep sleep.' One easy way to do this, MyShake suggests, is to click on the app when it notifies you — without any urgent, alarming warning sounds — of a significant earthquake somewhere around the world, which typically happens every two weeks. 'By tapping on this notification, and opening the MyShake app, you can keep the app fresh, and not have to rely on your own reminders.' MyShake is now available in six languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese — the last voiced in Mandarin, and using traditional characters. MyShake will use the first language that it supports from your device's language and region settings, but on an iPhone you can change the language by going to settings, then apps, and selecting MyShake before choosing a preferred language. Times staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report.
