Earthquake warning smartphone applications have witnessed a surge in popularity in Taiwan, driven by a high demand from individuals seeking additional seconds to seek cover after more than 1,300 aftershocks rattled the island over the past month. This heightened demand follows a 7.2 magnitude quake that struck Taiwan's east coast on April 3, resulting in the loss of 17 lives.
The frequent aftershocks, including over 200 tremors in a 24-hour period starting April 22, have caused considerable anxiety among the populace.
While the government has an automated quake warning system that dispatches text messages accompanied by a loud alert sound intended to provide a few seconds of warning before shaking begins, its reliability has come under scrutiny. In Taipei, the system failed to activate before the April 3 quake, leading to criticism.
In response to the growing demand for more reliable earthquake information, privately-developed quake warning applications have experienced a significant increase in popularity.
Kuo Chen-yu, the 20-year-old co-founder of Disaster Prevention Information Platform, which saw its user base soar from around 3,000 to nearly 370,000 in recent weeks, explained, "What we offer is customized earthquake early warning. You get to set your own threshold."
Lin Ruei, another co-founder of the app launched in 2022, stated that their app tracks fast-moving seismic waves from over 130 seismic sensors installed across the island to provide early warnings to users. For instance, the app can provide users in more populated western Taiwan with up to 30 seconds of warning for a quake originating from the remote eastern coast.
Lin added, "Some people might feel quite panicked with just an earthquake of intensity 2, then they can download our app. If you get a 10-second early warning and you move to a secure spot, maybe it would be a life-saving tool for you."
The government's official warning system only alerts phone users in areas where major earthquakes with an estimated intensity of 4 or above are expected, which authorities say are powerful enough to move furniture, cause wall cracks, or disrupt power or water supplies.
Wu Chien-fu, Director of the Central Weather Administration's Seismological Center, stated that they support the development of alternative tools that provide innovative means for disaster response. He added that authorities are considering calls to lower thresholds for official alerts, a system designed for larger tremors that are more likely to cause damage.
Despite this, many people are drawn to the additional features offered by privately-developed apps, such as an automatic flashlight switch-on before shaking starts, a countdown timer, or alerts for smaller quakes that did not trigger government warnings—a reassurance for those who wish to stay more alert for the frequent tremors.
"One user wrote in a review of Taiwan Earthquake Quick Alert, currently one of the most downloaded apps for iPhones in Taiwan which issues a countdown to the first shock waves, 'The 30-second countdown gave me enough time to mentally prepare myself, grab my survival kit, and dash to my child's room.'"
(Reporting By Yimou Lee and Angie Teo; additional reporting by Ann Wang and Fabian Hamacher; Editing by Michael Perry)