Google pauses Android Earthquake Warning feature in Brazil after incorrect alert
Google’s “Earthquake Alerts System” for Android phones mistakenly sent out a wrong warning in Brazil last night, causing the company to temporarily stop the feature in the country.
Launched in 2020, this system uses Android smartphones to sense early signs of earthquakes. Modern phones have sensors, like accelerometers, that can pick up the first wave of a quake, called the “P-wave.” This wave arrives before the more harmful “S-wave,” giving people a few seconds to prepare before the shaking starts.
The system has had both successes and failures since it began. For example, in 2021, it successfully warned people in the Philippines before a quake. But in 2023, it failed to alert users during a destructive earthquake in Turkey, though Google claims it worked as intended. Earlier in 2024, the system was made available across the United States.
However, last night marked the first time the system sent out a widespread false alarm. According to CNN Brasil (reported via Android Police), Android users in Brazil received earthquake notifications on their phones around 2 a.m. local time. The alert warned of a possible quake measuring up to 5.5 on the Richter scale, but no such event happened.
Google is still looking into what caused the mistake. In a statement, the company said:
“The Android Earthquake Alert System is an additional tool that uses phones to quickly detect earthquake vibrations and warn users. It is not meant to replace official alert systems. On February 14, our system picked up phone signals near São Paulo’s coast, triggering an alert for users in the area. We have temporarily paused the system in Brazil and are working to understand what happened. We are sorry for the inconvenience and are focused on improving our services.”
For now, Google has turned off the earthquake alert feature in Brazil, but it’s unclear when it will be active again.