Google failed to warn 10 million of Turkey earthquake severity

In 2023, a devastating earthquake struck southeastern Turkey, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Google, which operates an earthquake early warning system called Android Earthquake Alerts, admitted that its system failed to properly warn millions of people about the severity of the quake. The system is designed to detect shaking using data from Android phones and send out alerts to people in danger. In Turkey, where over 70 percent of people use Android devices, this system could have been a lifesaver. However, during the 7. 8 magnitude earthquake, only 469 people received the highest level 'Take Action' alert, which is meant to wake people up and prompt them to seek safety immediately. Instead, about half a million people received a lower-level 'Be Aware' alert, which does not override silent or Do Not Disturb settings and is intended for lighter shaking.

The earthquake struck at 4:17 in the morning, a time when most people were asleep. The 'Take Action' alert is especially important in such situations because it makes a loud noise and displays a message on the phone’s screen, even if the phone is on silent. Unfortunately, the system underestimated the strength of the earthquake, calculating it as only 4. 5 to 4. 9 on the moment magnitude scale, when it was actually 7. 8. This mistake meant that millions of people who could have been warned in time did not receive the urgent alert. As a result, more than 55,000 people died and over 100,000 were injured, many of them caught in collapsing buildings while they slept.

After the disaster, Google admitted that there were 'limitations to the detection algorithms' and said they are working to improve the system. They ran simulations using the new algorithm and found that, if it had been in place during the 2023 earthquake, it would have sent 'Take Action' alerts to 10 million people and 'Be Aware' alerts to 67 million more. Some scientists and experts are concerned that countries may rely too much on Google’s system, which is meant to be a supplement to national warning systems, not a replacement. They also criticized Google for taking more than two years to fully explain what went wrong. Google says it is committed to making the system better and being more transparent about its performance. The Android Earthquake Alerts system is now active in nearly 100 countries, and Google continues to update it based on lessons learned from each earthquake. The BBC has asked Google about the system’s performance during a 2025 earthquake in Myanmar, but has not yet received a response.

The tragedy in Turkey highlights the importance of reliable early warning systems and the need for constant improvement in technology that can save lives. It also shows that while technology can be a powerful tool in emergencies, it is not perfect and must be used alongside other safety measures. People are encouraged to learn what to do during an earthquake and to pay attention to any warnings they receive, whether from their phones or other sources. As technology advances, the hope is that more lives can be saved in future disasters.