Google India introduces Earthquake Alerts System in Android smartphones

Google India on Wednesday (September 27) announced that it is introducing the Android Earthquake Alerts System in consultation with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Seismology Centre (NSC). Through the launch, Google says it aims to provide Android users with automatic early warning alerts for earthquakes in their area.

According to Google, all Android smartphones are equipped with tiny accelerometers that can act as mini seismometers — devices used to detect earthquakes. “When a phone is plugged in and charging, it can detect the very beginnings of earthquake shaking. If many phones detect earthquake-like shaking around the same time, our server can use this information to estimate that an earthquake may be happening,” it added.

Once an earthquake is detected, Google claims its servers can send alerts to nearby phones, probably even before tremors begin in some areas. The alerts will be available in all Indian languages that are supported by Android.