Android’s earthquake alerts now cover more than 200 countries and regions, up from 98, Google says. The expansion adds places including Panama and Guatemala. Google is also upgrading its Be Ready alert to show more information in the first seconds of a quake.
Google tied the announcement to a milestone for the system:
Since launching in 2021, we’ve sent over one billion alerts to help people stay safe before the shaking even starts.
Google, Android earthquake alerts announcement
Which countries get Android earthquake alerts
Google’s announcement names only Panama and Guatemala among the new regions. It doesn’t include the full list of more than 200 countries and regions. Android Authority notes that Android’s support documentation hadn’t been updated with the complete list when it checked.
So don’t assume your country is covered just because the total has doubled. Neither Google’s post nor its support docs, as reported, spell out where the expansion applies.
The Be Ready alert is getting more detail
Android earthquake alerts come in three levels, depending on how strong the shaking is expected to be:
- Be Aware: a simple alert for estimated light shaking
- Be Ready: a more detailed alert for stronger shaking
- Take Action: a full-screen alert for moderate to heavy shaking
Google says the Be Ready alert will gain new guidance. It will show a map with the radius where shaking has been detected, plus an estimated magnitude. It will also suggest actions to take and add a button to learn more.
That matters because Be Ready sits in the middle tier. It covers shaking strong enough to act on but not severe enough to trigger the full-screen warning. A map and a magnitude estimate give people a quicker sense of how worried to be.
When the changes arrive
Google describes the region expansion as happening now. Its post gives no activation dates for individual countries. The Be Ready upgrade is due in the coming months, without a firmer date.
Earthquake alerts are one of Google’s safety tools that is growing. On the wearable side, the trend runs the other way, with Pixel Watch Safety Signal ending December 12.
Source: Google, Android Authority
