How to Enable Earthquake Alerts on iPhone

If you live in California, Oregon, or Japan, you can enable earthquake alerts. These alerts come when an earthquake occurs and shaking in your area is imminent. If you do not live in any of these areas, you can still receive alerts through a free app by the University of California Berkeley called MyShake. This wikiHow will show you how to enable earthquake alerts on your iPhone. ^{[1] [2]}

Seismic activity releases primary (P) waves and secondary (S) waves. The P waves travel much faster (at about the speed of sound) than S waves and seldom cause any damage; hence if one is detected an earthquake is likely in progress. Secondary waves cause most earthquake-related injuries and damage. Using information from multiple sensors and the fact that light travels faster than sound, earthquake early warning systems can provide anywhere from a few nanoseconds to tens of seconds of warning before shaking strikes . This time is enough for automated systems to perform actions that minimize damage and for everyone to prepare for strong shaking.