During the powerful earthquake that struck Turkey in 2023, Google’s Android Earthquake Alerts system failed to timely warn over 10 million people about the severity of the quake.
Google’s system was supposed to send its most serious “Take Action” alert to people within approximately 160 kilometers of the epicenter. This alert provides users with 30-35 seconds to prepare and seek safety. However, during the event, only 469 people received this critical warning. Nearly half a million others were sent a lower-level “Be Aware” alert, which does not override silent mode and is less noticeable.
Although Google previously stated that the system had “performed well,” a BBC investigation revealed that the system significantly underestimated the earthquake’s strength. For the first quake, the system estimated shaking at 4.5 to 4.9 magnitude, while the actual magnitude was 7.8. The second earthquake was also underestimated, with only a few thousand users receiving the “Take Action” alert.
After the earthquake, Google improved its system and simulated the scenario again, showing that in a similar event, 10 million people would receive the “Take Action” alert and 67 million users would get the “Be Aware” notification.
Experts note that detecting and alerting for large earthquakes in real time is a complex challenge. However, Google’s delay in disclosing these issues has drawn criticism. For example, Elizabeth Reddy, an assistant professor at the Colorado School of Mines, said, “Thousands of lives were lost, and it’s very disappointing that it took two years to learn about the system’s poor performance.”
Google emphasizes that the Android Earthquake Alerts system is intended to supplement, not replace, national warning systems. Still, some experts worry that countries may be placing too much trust in Google’s technology before it is fully tested.
Currently, Google’s alert system operates in 98 countries. The BBC requested information from Google about how the system performed during a 2025 earthquake in Myanmar but has not yet received a response.
