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Discovery: ShakeAlertLA - California’s earthquake early warning system

An apartment after the Northridge earthquake in 1994

11/03/2019 GMT

ShakeAlertLA - California’s earthquake early warning system

BBC World Service - Discovery, ShakeAlertLA - California’s earthquake early warning systemSearch BBC

The mobile app that will warn southern Californians if an earthquake is heading their way

25 years after the damaging Northridge earthquake in Southern California, Los Angeles has released an app that will warn people when a big earthquake has started.

Los Angeles is a city of Angels, and of earthquakes. Deadly earthquakes in 1933, 1971 and 1994 have also made it a pioneer in earthquake protection – for example with tough engineering standards to save buildings. Since 2013, with the help of scientists at the US Geological Survey, the city has been developing a resilience plan which culminated in the release of an app that should give residents precious seconds of warning when an earthquake starts. Roland Pease meets the scientists, the Mayor and the officials making the system work.

Picture: An apartment after the Northridge earthquake in 1994
Credit: Getty Images

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