California Could Have Early Alert Quake System by 2018

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California Gov. Jerry Brown will seek state funds to help establish a system that issues alerts that an earthquake is occurring — with an eye on rolling out a limited system by 2018.

Brown will ask the Legislature to allocate $10 million toward the system being developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and university researchers.

The decision to include the plan in his revised state budget is a reversal for Brown. He has supported creation of the system but previously argued that the money should come from private and federal sources.

Seismic early warning systems are designed to detect the first shock waves from a large jolt, calculate the strength and alert people before the slower but damaging waves spread.

Ultimately, scientists plan to develop apps for mobile phones and computers that would give the public the early alerts.

The systems can’t predict quakes and are most useful during big events where it would be meaningful to warn people far away to expect strong shaking, scientists have said.

The network for California and the rest of the West Coast has been repeatedly delayed because of a lack of funding. California trails Japan, Mexico and other earthquake-prone areas in developing a public alert system.