Ramit Mehrotra, Pune
Internet giant Google will roll out its Android Earthquake Alert Systems in Indian Android smartphones, to detect the scale and intensity of the earthquake being hit in the earthquake-prone regions of India. The alert system has been developed in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NMDA) and the National Seismology Centre (NSC), which is functional in other countries in the world. The alert system will be introduced to the country in vernacular languages to assist with steps of damage control.
Google India found that while many Android phones are put on charge, or plugged in during the earthquake, the smartphones act as mini seismometers to measure the tremors of the earthquake and send the server later, to find out the details of where the earthquake occurred, when did it occur and what was the epicenter of the earthquake.
Google India, in its press release, announced the implementation of the feature in smartphones, saying that they have been working with NMDA to develop the alert feature, to provide users with helpful and pre-emptive information about natural disasters such as Cyclones and Floods, on Google alerts and Maps. Each smartphone has an accelerator that can be used as a seismometer to measure the intensity of the earthquake. They mentioned that Internet signals travel faster than the speed of light, and much quicker when an earthquake tremor is propagated through the ground, so that all essential information reaches the user before severe shaking occurs. Google will roll out all earthquake alert features to All Android 5+ smartphone users in India.
To use the features, one’s Android smartphone must have the following basics –
- The phone should have a WiFi/ cellular data connection
- Earthquake alert systems and phone’s location should be on
- A user can fetch earthquake updates by simply entering a Google search, “Earthquake near me”.
The search company sends two types of alerts – Be Aware and Take Action. ‘Be aware’ alerts are sent to users who are simply experiencing MM1 3 and 4 shaking during an earthquake of magnitude or greater. It shows an alert on your phone but doesn’t make a sound if it’s in Silent or Do Not Disturb Mode. The alerts are sent to users who are in MMI 5+ shaking during an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 or higher. The alert will bypass the notification settings, including Do Not Disturb, and play a loud sound. The alert will suggest either hiding under a desk or getting out of unstable structures.