Three different ideas
Earthquake monitoring reports an event after instruments detect it. Early warning detects an earthquake that has already started and may give people farther from the source a short head start. Prediction would require knowing the exact time, place, and size of a future earthquake. Scientific agencies do not currently have that capability.
What a phone alert can help you do
- Get a fast, readable summary of a detected event.
- Decide whether to check on family, move away from glass, or follow an official evacuation order.
- Keep a configured alarm, flashlight, emergency contacts, and shelter information close at hand.
What it cannot promise
No app can promise that every earthquake will be detected before shaking reaches you, that a magnitude estimate will never change, or that a notification replaces an official warning. Connectivity, sensor coverage, distance, and the local warning system all affect timing.
Use alerts as one layer of a plan
Set a minimum magnitude and alert radius that make sense for where you live. Add emergency contacts, choose a sound you will recognize, and keep the app’s offline tools available. During an event, follow local civil-protection instructions first.
A practical setup
Follow your country’s civil-protection instructions during an emergency and confirm reports with official seismic sources.
Reviewed October 10, 2026. Earthquake parameters may be revised after an initial report.