In the minutes before a deadly tornado struck Moore, Okla., earlier this year, sirens wailed, warning of the imminent threat. That advance notice that gave residents extra time to take cover, and may have been the difference between life and death.<\/p>\n
\nBut early warning technology isn\u2019t restricted to tornadoes. California researchers are developing a similar system for earthquakes. While the technology makes sense to deploy in seismically active regions in the West, experts believe the system could be an even more important priority for the eastern states.<\/p>\n
\nUnlike the West Coast \u2014 which has many fault lines that break up the Earth\u2019s crust and stunt how the quake\u2019s energy is transmitted \u2014 the East Coast is made up of harder, less active and colder ground, which enables energy waves released by earthquakes to travel further.<\/p>\n
\nFor example, the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck Virginia on Aug. 23, 2011, was average in its intensity, but its impact was felt by more than 37 million people from Boston to South Carolina.<\/p>\n
\nWith its dense population centers and older structures, the Eastern seaboard could suffer catastrophic destruction from a stronger tremor. An early warning, though, could give residents a critical 30- to 90-second heads-up to prepare.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIn some ways there\u2019s almost more of a need [for an early warning system] on the East Coast because the buildings are so much worse,\u201d said seismologist Lucy Jones, senior science adviser for the Natural Hazards Mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). \u201cThe earthquakes are less likely, but they do happen and when they do, they cause more damage at the same size.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nBrian Blake, program coordinator for the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, agreed. He explained that many of the older buildings in the U.S., particularly those in the Central and Eastern areas of the country were built before strict seismic provisions were in place.<\/p>\n
\nWhile Blake supports early warning technology, he was adamant that public awareness regarding the threat of earthquakes is essential for the system to be successful. He explained a lot of states have an earthquake risk that\u2019s widely known to the scientific community, but not necessarily to the public at large \u2014 and they need to be informed.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHaving the warning system in place without the public knowing there\u2019s a threat would not do a whole lot of good,\u201d Blake said.<\/p>\n
\nEarly warning systems operate using a series of sensors that relay information to a central location. In an earthquake, these in-ground sensors pick up on seismic activity and trigger alerts that can be sent out before the shaking starts, enabling residents and key decision makers to proactively take steps to ensure personal and public safety.<\/p>\n
\nAn early warning system should give people the opportunity to secure themselves properly. In addition, the notification that an earthquake is coming may enable power stations or even trains to shut down, reducing the risk of deadly explosions or derailments, respectively.<\/p>\n
\nThe train derailment risk was one of the reason\u2019s Japan\u2019s earthquake early warning system was launched in 2007. The technology provided the public with advance warning of the 9.0 magnitude Tohoku earthquake in March 2011. The alerts were automatically broadcast across TV and radio based on the data from sensors. Residents also received smartphone notifications.<\/p>\n
\nIn many areas of the U.S. that experience earthquakes, seismic sensors are already embedded in the ground for research and observational purposes. But according to Blake, the technology is needed in other regions. He said existing sensors can pick up where an earthquake is and how big it was, but in order to give a detailed view of the quake and trigger an early warning, a larger grid of the devices are needed.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not a question of how few you need, it\u2019s really a question of how many we can put in,\u201d Blake said. \u201cBecause the more we put in, the better data and response we\u2019ll be able to generate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nA bill that would create an earthquake early warning system in California is under consideration in the state legislature. Sponsored by state Sen. Alex Padilla, S.B. 135 requires the California Office of Emergency Services, in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology, the California Geological Survey, the University of California-Berkeley, the USGS and other partners to develop an earthquake warning system for an estimated $80 million. If the legislation is signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Jones believes the technology will spread nationwide.<\/p>\n
\nSen. Padilla was sold on the effectiveness of early warning systems after watching footage of Japan\u2019s technology. The rapid notification it provided to citizens made him an instant believer on how valuable an extra 30 seconds can be to prepare for an earthquake.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI figured by advancing legislation in the state capital and making it a priority in the state, we can find an alternative or multiple sources of funding so we can put in a system as soon as possible,\u201d Padilla said. \u201cBecause whether it is a year from now or five years from now, I don\u2019t want to be here after the next \u2018Big One\u2019 asking myself why I didn\u2019t try to do something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe California Institute of Technology and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology published a study<\/a> in January that concluded that an earthquake involving both the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan regions may be possible.<\/p>\n \nIf SB 135 becomes law, Jones sees the project as a regional endeavor, including the states of Washington and Oregon. She said that the Pacific Northwest actually has the potential for an earthquake bigger than anything in California because of the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a fault that runs from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada; to Northern California.<\/p>\n \nIn the meantime, Jones has been setting up agreements with risk communication and design professionals to come up with a messaging system that can get information out to people effectively in the seconds before a quake. In addition, she believes a training program will be necessary so that people will know what to do when they get an earthquake notification.<\/p>\n \n\u201cWe don\u2019t think people are going to be able to make the decision to act correctly without thinking about it beforehand,\u201d Jones said. \u201cPeople don\u2019t usually make decisions in seconds. So a critical part of [this is] training.\u201d This article was originally published by Governing.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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