High demand for earthquake warning app in earthquake-hit Taiwan

TAIPEI – Earthquake warning smartphone apps have grown in popularity in Taiwan due to overwhelming demand from people desperate for a few extra seconds to take cover after more than 1,300 aftershocks rocked the island last month in the wake of a major earthquake.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's eastern coast on April 3, killing 17 people.

Repeated aftershocks since then – including more than 200 in a 24-hour period starting on April 22 – have worried many.

While the government has an automated earthquake warning system, sent in the form of a text message accompanied by a loud alert sound that is supposed to sound a few seconds before the tremor begins, it may be incomplete. In the capital, Taipei, there was no sound before the April 3 earthquake, which sparked criticism of the regime.

This, coupled with the growing demand to stay more informed about upcoming earthquakes, has helped increase the popularity of earthquake warning apps developed by the private sector.

“What we offer is a personalized early warning for earthquakes,” said Kuo Zhenyu, the 20-year-old co-founder of the disaster prevention information platform, whose number of users has jumped to nearly 370,000 from about 3,000 in 2018. “You have to set your own threshold.” “. Recent weeks.

Lin Roy, another co-founder of the app that launched in 2022, said his app tracks fast-moving seismic waves from more than 130 seismic sensors the team installed across the island to give users early warnings. For example, he said the app could give users in the more populous western Taiwan up to 30 seconds of warning of an earthquake from the remote east coast.

“Some people might feel very panicked by a 2-magnitude earthquake, then they can download our app,” said Lin, a 17-year-old student.

“If you get a 10-second early warning and move to a safe place, it could be a lifesaver.”

The official government-run warning system only goes out to phone users in areas where major earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more are expected, which authorities say are strong enough to move some furniture, cause cracks in walls, or disrupt power or water supplies. . .

Wu Xinfu, director of the Central Weather Administration's Seismic Center, told Reuters they were encouraging the development of alternative tools that provide innovative ways to respond to disasters, adding that authorities were aware of calls to lower official warning thresholds, a system designed for larger earthquakes. Which is more likely to bring harm.

“We will consider whether to issue warnings to the entire Taiwan about large earthquakes,” Wu said.

However, many are attracted to the additional functionality of specially developed apps, such as automatically turning on a light before an aftershock starts, a countdown timer, or alerts for smaller quakes that haven't triggered government warnings — a reassurance for those who want it. To remain more alert for frequent tremors.

“The 30-second countdown gave me enough time to mentally prepare myself, grab my survival kit, and rush to my baby’s room,” one user wrote in a review of the “Taiwan Earthquake Rapid Alert” app, currently one of the most downloaded apps for iPhones. In Taiwan, which counts down the first shock waves. – Reuters

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