Google has acknowledged that its earthquake early warning system did not effectively warn people during the devastating earthquake in Turkey in 2023.
Around ten million individuals near the epicenter could have received Google’s top-level alert, which would have provided up to 35 seconds of advance notice to seek safety.
In reality, only 469 “Take Action” alerts were distributed in response to the initial quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale.
Google indicated to the BBC that half a million individuals received a less urgent warning for “light shaking,” which is not designed to capture users’ immediate attention.
Previously, Google asserted to the BBC that the warning system had “performed well.” However, the BBC discovered in 2023 that not everyone had received alerts, the full impact of which has now come to light.
This alert system operates in nearly 100 countries and is described by Google as a “global safety net,” often functioning in regions lacking any other warning systems.
The Android Earthquake Alerts (AEA) system, managed by Google rather than by individual nations, utilizes data from Android devices, which represent over 70% of mobile phones in Turkey.
