In India, Google has begun rolling out its Android-based earthquake alarm system. The system uses accelerators, which can function as small seismometers and detect tremors on smartphones.
The system, developed in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Seismology Center (NSC), will provide early earthquake alerts for Android users in an area that is likely to be impacted, the company said on Wednesday. These notifications will be offered in the local Indian languages that Android supports.
Be Aware and Take Action are the two alert kinds that the firm sends out. Users who are trembling with MMI 3 and 4 during an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 or above receive the “Be Aware” warnings. If your phone is on quiet or does not disturb mode, it just displays an alert on the screen without making any sound.
According to Google, users who experience MMI 5+ shaking during a 4.5-magnitude earthquake are sent alerts. In this case, the alert will play a loud sound and ignore any notification settings on the system, including Do Not Disturb.
The message also advises viewers on how to be safe, such as hiding under a table.
According to Google, many Android phones that are monitoring seismic activity in a certain location can identify future earthquakes. The business asserts that warnings frequently last for many seconds before vibrating.
Google unveiled Android Earthquake Alerts in 2020 for residents of California. Users must have Wi-Fi or cellular data access and be using an Android phone version 5 or later. Users must also have location settings enabled on their smartphones in order to get earthquake notifications.
By selecting Settings > Safety & emergency, then Earthquake notifications, users may begin receiving earthquake warnings. Through Settings > Location > Advanced > Earthquake notifications, customers may also enable earthquake alerts.
Google already sends flood notifications using AI to every area of India. In 2018, the business launched the flood alarm pilot in Patna, the state capital of Bihar in India. In 2020, it extended flood notifications to the whole country of India.
