California highlights earthquake preparedness for Great ShakeOut Day

California’s leadership in Early-Earthquake warning technology

Launched under Governor Gavin Newsom’s leadership, California’s first-in-the-nation Earthquake Early Warning System notifies residents in advance of shaking by using ground motion sensors across California. With over 4 million downloads, the MyShake App provides Californians with up to 30 seconds of warning in the event of a M4.5 earthquake or higher.

The MyShake app is free, easy to use, and available in six languages (English, Spanish, Chinese (Traditional), Tagalog, Korean, and Vietnamese). It can be downloaded on iOS, Android, and Chromebooks. The app contains earthquake and tsunami preparedness information not found in other alerting platforms and includes the secure Homebase feature which allows users to set a default location where they can receive earthquake early warning alerts even if location services are temporarily down or turned off.

Earthquakes can happen at any time. Over the next 30 years, the state has a more than 99 percent chance of experiencing an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater. Earlier this week, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) hosted a statewide tour featuring an earthquake simulator, educating Californians on earthquake preparedness and the MyShake App. The tour visited UC Davis, Cal State Fullerton, the San Francisco Zoo and will wrap up today at the San Diego Waterfront Park. 

How to receive alerts

To receive earthquake warnings, there are three ways for individuals and families to get alerts through California’s Earthquake Early Warning system.

MyShake App: Free smartphone app that provides iPhone users with audio and visual warnings, available in both English and Spanish.

Smartphones: The majority of smartphones with updated operating systems are automatically subscribed to earthquake early warning, which uses the same technology as the MyShake App; and

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs): No-cost text messages for emergency situations sent through the nation-wide system providing lifesaving information for the state of California.

Learn about the science 

In an earthquake, a rupturing fault sends out two different types of waves. The faster-moving P-wave is first to arrive, but the damage is caused by the slower S-waves and surface waves.

Sensors strategically placed throughout California detect the P-wave and immediately transmit data to an earthquake alert center where the location and size of the quake are determined and updated as more data becomes available.

Then that information turns into a message from the alert center to be immediately transmitted through an alert.

Get prepared now

For easy-to-follow earthquake safety tips and how Californians can take protective actions before, during, and after an earthquake, download the Earthquake Readiness Guide here.

To learn more about earthquake preparedness and download the MyShake earthquake early warning application, visit earthquake.ca.gov.