Beijing, July 27, 2024 – China has activated the world’s largest earthquake early warning system, offering critical alerts just seconds after seismic activity is detected. The National Earthquake Intensity Rapid Reporting and Early Warning Project, initiated in 2018, officially entered full operation after five years of construction, officials announced on Friday.
The system allows people in earthquake-prone areas to receive warnings an average of seven seconds after an earthquake occurs, said Li Yonglin, director of the China Earthquake Networks Center, at a news conference in Beijing.
The project initially ran pilot programs in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Fujian provinces, as well as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, before providing trial services to the public in 2021. It now covers the entire country, ensuring rapid alerts for millions of residents.
“This early warning system uses initial, less destructive primary waves to estimate the earthquake’s impact and sends alerts before the more destructive secondary waves arrive,” Li explained.
Key areas under the system’s coverage include North China, the Southeast coastal regions, and seismic zones in Xinjiang and Xizang. In these areas, alerts are issued within a critical window of 7 to 30 seconds, allowing the public to take emergency measures and enabling critical infrastructure to initiate safety protocols.
Previously, the public relied on the China Earthquake Networks Center’s reports, which took two to three minutes to be released. The new system, supported by 15,899 monitoring stations, marks a significant advancement in earthquake preparedness and response.
Kailas Shinde, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner, added that the system’s real-time capabilities are crucial for preventing disasters, particularly in densely populated regions.
This development comes amid increasing concerns over earthquake risks in China, with officials emphasizing the importance of swift and effective disaster response mechanisms.
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