Android System Failed to Warn Millions Before Earthquake

Google has admitted its Android-based earthquake early warning system did not deliver critical alerts during the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023, raising concerns about the reliability of tech-driven public safety systems.

According to Google, only 469 “Take Action” alerts—the system’s most urgent warning—were sent out during the initial quake, despite the potential to notify up to 10 million people near the epicentre. Around half a million users received a less prominent “Be Aware” alert, intended for minor tremors.

At the time, Google claimed its system “performed well,” but subsequent investigations revealed that the Android Earthquake Alerts (AEA) system underestimated the severity of the tremor. The algorithm wrongly assessed the shaking intensity as between 4.5 and 4.9, far below the actual 7.8 magnitude.

The timing of the earthquake at 04:17 made the lack of effective alerts more dangerous, as many people were asleep and would only have been awakened by the more serious “Take Action” warning, which overrides phone settings like Do Not Disturb.

Google later acknowledged limitations in its detection algorithm and has since updated the system. A post-quake simulation using the revised algorithm would have generated around 10 million critical alerts and an additional 67 million low-level warnings.

Despite these improvements, experts have raised concerns about transparency and delays. Dr. Elizabeth Reddy, a seismology expert, criticized the delay in sharing performance data, calling it “frustrating” given the lives lost.

The AEA system operates independently of national infrastructure and is available in nearly 100 countries, mostly in regions without formal warning systems. However, some scientists worry that over-reliance on private tech solutions could disincentivize governments from developing their own robust alert mechanisms.