Image Credit: CGTN
China has unveiled the world’s largest earthquake early warning network, completing its ambitious National Earthquake Early Warning Project. Announced by the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) on Friday, the project aims to significantly enhance public safety by providing advanced warning and rapid intensity reporting for earthquakes across the country.
The project, which involved the installation of 15,899 monitoring stations nationwide, will enable the public to receive early warnings through various channels including TV, IPTV, mobile apps such as WeChat and Alipay, and loudspeakers in rural areas. According to Yin Chaomin, the vice head of the CEA, the system’s integration with diverse communication platforms is designed to ensure timely alerts.
Yin explained that earthquake early warning systems leverage the slower speed of seismic waves compared to electromagnetic waves to issue alerts before destructive waves reach their destination. This allows individuals to take precautionary measures and potentially reduce casualties, receiving warnings from a few seconds to several seconds in advance.
He highlighted that the project has achieved notable advancements in earthquake early warning technologies and rapid intensity reporting, bringing China’s system up to par with international standards. For critical regions such as north China and the southeast coast, the system can issue alerts within seconds of detecting an earthquake. It also reports the intensity of seismic events within minutes across the country.
Furthermore, the network can detect earthquakes with magnitudes of 2.5 or above in most areas, and even lower magnitudes in more densely populated regions like the capital circle and the Yangtze River Delta. The system has been seamlessly integrated with key industries including railways, pipelines, power grids, nuclear power, and natural gas, underscoring its broad applicability and significance.