The Napa earthquake highlights the need for an early warning system in California

The recent magnitude 6.0 earthquake that jolted Napa Valley has caused extensive damage to wineries and properties and has particularly highlighted the need for an early warning system in the state of California. Reportedly, even a few seconds warning before the occurrence of a seismic event could have a significant impact on lowering the devasting consequences of a temblor.

With Mexico and Japan already having that kind of earthquake-warning system, California appears to be behind in the earthquake warning race. The research program run by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with several California Universities is still in its beta form and was activated in a test mode only a few days before the Napa earthquake. Its efficiency was shortly verified, sending out a warning at the University of California, Berkeley, only 6 seconds before the first seismic waves reached the area. 

The system is based on sensors, placed across the state, detecting early seismic waves before the main event occurs, hence sending out warnings to those located at a certain distance from the epicenter. The specific warnings may be issued a few seconds or even an entire minute before an area is hit. What is not feasible yet, is the immediate notification of people located at the epicentral area. 

But despite the 10second short notice that such a system may able to offer, it may still be useful. It can be enough for public services and private industry to take precautions. From public transportation systems to hospitals and elevators in buildings, knowing that your daily activities are going to be interrupted in the following few seconds, is significant to avoid serious injuries and protect human life. However, the $80million investment over a five-year period needed to finish the project and the roughly $12 million required in yearly maintenance operations are the major hurdle in finalizing and officially launching the ShakeAlert system. 

Watch the ShakeAlert system on action in the video below: