Alaska is set to join the ranks of states with earthquake early warning systems, thanks to a federal investment of at least $2 million. This initiative, a collaborative effort between the Alaska Earthquake Center and the U.S. Geological Survey, will utilize the ShakeAlert system to provide crucial seconds or minutes of warning before earthquake shaking, allowing residents and various sectors to prepare and mitigate potential damage.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska is taking a significant step towards joining the ranks of regions equipped with earthquake early warning system s. Following a congressional allocation of $34.9 million to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the continued development of ShakeAlert, the nation's early warning system , at least $2 million will be specifically dedicated to incorporating Alaska into the program. The Alaska Earthquake Center will collaborate with the USGS on this crucial implementation.
Michael West, the state seismologist at the Alaska Earthquake Center, highlighted the importance of this development, stating that many earthquake-prone areas around the world, including parts of the United States, have already successfully implemented such systems. He emphasized that ShakeAlert is the primary tool within the U.S. for achieving the goals of earthquake early warning, citing the operational success of the system in California, Oregon, and Washington for several years. West believes it's overdue for Alaska to have similar capabilities.\While accurate earthquake prediction remains impossible, the ShakeAlert system provides warnings in the critical moments after an earthquake is detected. The system's lead time, the time between the warning and the onset of shaking, can vary significantly, ranging from a few seconds to over a minute, depending on the specifics of the earthquake. West pointed out the diverse types of earthquakes in Alaska as a factor influencing warning times. These include earthquakes occurring on inland faults, those originating deep beneath the surface, and the massive, offshore events similar to the magnitude 9.0 earthquake of 1964. He drew a parallel to Japan, which has a well-established and effective early warning system, using the example of Tokyo residents receiving 60–90 seconds of warning before the devastating earthquake approximately 15 years ago. This extra time allows individuals to take protective actions such as drop, cover, and hold, as well as enabling preparedness measures for various sectors.\Beyond personal safety, West outlined the broader opportunities presented by the system. These include automatically turning stoplights to red, shutting down off-ramps and bridges, slowing trains, and moving people from landslide or avalanche-prone areas. In hospitals, the early warning can facilitate switching to generator power before an outage, and in the military, it can allow pausing of aircraft takeoffs and landings, among other sensitive actions. The joint implementation plan developed by the state and the USGS estimates that full system implementation may take approximately six years. However, initial early warning alerts could become active in certain areas, likely in southcentral Alaska, before full implementation is complete. The project involves instrumenting and monitoring the ground, establishing a robust IT infrastructure for software and data transmission, and a comprehensive educational component to ensure Alaskans understand how to utilize the information effectively. West underscored the significance of this undertaking, noting that while it will take time, it is essential for Alaska to join other areas where earthquake early warnings are already a standard part of life. This ensures preparedness for the inevitable seismic activity the state faces.
Earthquake Shakealert Alaska Early Warning System Seismology
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