The forces of nature are a matter of enormous importance. February 6, 2023 was marked by tragedy when several high intensity earthquakes (5.7 to 7.8 on the Richter scale) struck Turkey and Syria, causing unprecedented destruction. At the time of writing, more than 5,000 deaths have been recorded in total due to these earthquakes, as well as more than 20,000 injured.
In this type of eventuality, information can be vital, and technology can save many lives. In order to be informed of any earthquake alert in the area where you live, there are several apps that will be very useful. These are the best earthquake alert apps that you can install on your cell phone.
My Earthquake Alerts
My Earthquake Alerts is an app that will provide you with all the information you need about all those earthquakes that take place on the planet. It has a push notification system that will allow you to be alert to any eventuality and that you can completely customize.
It has a powerful search engine with which you can find all those earthquakes recorded since 1970. Its design is very intuitive, and will allow you to see the areas affected by earthquakes on a map or in a list. In addition, one of its most important aspects is that its use is completely free, although it has a Pro version without advertising.
LastQuake – EMSC Earthquakes
LastQuake is a totally free app designed to alert the population and obtain real-time earthquake testimony. Designed by seismologists, LastQuake is the official app of the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center (CSEM). Thanks to its users’ own devices, the CSEM only needs a few minutes to estimate the effects of an earthquake and alert the population.
Among its functions, it provides fully customized notifications based on characteristics such as the destructive power or proximity of earthquakes; allows you to view comments, photos and videos of witnesses; facilitates sending messages to friends and family if you are in an affected area; and provides preventive measures after an earthquake.
Earthquake Network
Earthquake Network is a comprehensive earthquake app, part of the Earthquake Network research project. The project is aimed at developing an open collaborative early warning system, based on the use of smartphones, in order to detect earthquakes in real time and generate alerts for the population. Smartphones can detect earthquakes thanks to the accelerometer integrated in each device.
When an earthquake is detected, users who have installed the app will receive an immediate alert. Due to the speed at which earthquake waves travel (5 to 10 km/s), it is possible to alert the population that has not been hit by the destructive earthquake wave. The app offers data from national and international seismic networks, and it is free to use.
Earthquake Tracker
Earthquakes Tracker provides near real-time earthquake alerts and information, and allows you to analyze seismic activity by plotting various seismic data from hours to days, months and years on the integrated graph. You can create custom alerts by configuring the proximity and magnitude, as well as the zones you want to monitor.
It also allows you to see at a glance real-time global seismic activity through the use of double bar graphs, the time at which P- and S-waves will arrive at your location, and sensor data from nearby seismic stations. It can be used free of charge.
