San Francisco: Google has admitted its earthquake early warning system failed to accurately alert people during Turkey's deadly quake of 2023. Ten million people within 98 miles of the epicenter could have been sent Google's highest level alert, offering up to 35 seconds of warning to find safety. Instead, only 469 "Take Action" warnings were sent out for the first 7.8 magnitude quake. Google's system, named Android Earthquake Alerts (AEA), is operated by the Silicon Valley firm and not individual countries.

According to BBC, Google's system, which works on Android devices making up more than 70% of the phones in Turkey, was active and live on the day of the quakes. However, it underestimated the strength of the earthquakes. More than 55,000 people died when two major earthquakes hit southeastern Turkey on February 6, 2023, with over 100,000 injured. Many were asleep in buildings that collapsed around them when the tremors struck. Google's early warning system underestimated the severity of the first earthquake, estimating the shaking at between 4.5 and 4.9 on the moment magnitude scale (MMS) when it was actually a 7.8.

Google's warning system can detect shaking from a vast number of mobile phones using the Android operating system. Because earthquakes move relatively slowly through the earth, a warning can be issued. Google's most serious warning, "Take Action," sets off a loud alarm on a user's phone, overriding the Do Not Disturb setting, and covering their screen. This alert is meant to be sent when stronger shaking that could threaten human life is detected. AEA also has a less serious "Be Aware" warning for potential lighter shaking, which does not override a device on Do Not Disturb.

In the months following the earthquake, the BBC sought to interview users who had received the "Take Action" warning to evaluate the technology's effectiveness. Despite speaking to individuals in towns and cities across the impacted zone, none reported receiving the serious alert before the quake struck. BBC published its findings later that year.

Google researchers have since detailed the system's shortcomings in the Science journal, citing "limitations to the detection algorithms." After the first earthquake, the system failed to accurately gauge the shaking, and the subsequent large earthquake that day was also underestimated. However, after the earthquake, Google researchers adjusted the algorithm and simulated the first earthquake again. The revised system generated 10 million "Take Action" alerts to those at most risk and a further 67 million "Be Aware" alerts to those further from the epicenter.

Google has stated that every earthquake early warning system faces the challenge of tuning algorithms for large magnitude events. Elizabeth Reddy, an assistant professor at the Colorado School of Mines, expressed frustration over the two-year delay in addressing the system's shortcomings, emphasizing the importance of transparency in its performance. Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, also stressed the necessity of transparency, questioning if some places might rely solely on Google's system rather than national systems.

Google researchers claim that post-event analysis has improved the system, and AEA has now been deployed in 98 countries. The BBC has inquired about AEA's performance during the 2025 earthquake in Myanmar but has yet to receive a response.