Boğaziçi University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KRDAE) has achieved a significant milestone in Türkiye’s earthquake preparedness with its Earthquake Early Warning System. On Oct. 2, during a magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the Marmara region, the system successfully generated the first alert within just 8.4 seconds, marking a critical advancement in real-time seismic monitoring and early warning capabilities.
KRDAE’s efforts focus on one of Türkiye’s most earthquake-prone areas, the Marmara region, where the risk of seismic activity is notably high. The institute has recently transitioned into a new phase of the Earthquake Early Warning System project, aiming to establish a cutting-edge infrastructure capable of detecting the fastest-propagating initial seismic waves and issuing alerts within seconds. This capability is vital in minimizing the impacts of earthquakes by providing critical seconds for precautionary measures to be taken by both authorities and the public.
A key component of this progress involved upgrading the data transmission infrastructure of seismic stations in the Marmara region. These upgrades have reduced the delay in signal transmission to the Kandilli Observatory to a mere 0.2 seconds. Once the real-time seismic data is received, it is immediately processed by specialized early warning software. This software evaluates the earthquake’s location and estimates its magnitude almost instantaneously, enabling the system to produce a timely alert.
The recent earthquake in the Marmara Sea served as a real-world test for the system’s efficacy. After seismic waves traveled to the onshore stations within approximately five seconds, the software conducted rapid analysis and issued the initial warning signal in a total time span of 8.4 seconds. This performance highlights the system’s ability to operate under real earthquake conditions, which is crucial for validating and further improving its functionality.
In collaboration with a software development firm, KRDAE has also launched an iOS-based mobile application designed to deliver these early warning signals directly to users. Currently, the system is undergoing performance testing with a pilot group of roughly 2,500 devices, utilizing real earthquake events to measure the application’s effectiveness in providing timely notifications.
Looking ahead, KRDAE has outlined an extensive development plan to scale the earthquake early warning system across Türkiye. This plan includes the deployment of new low-latency seismic stations nationwide, the creation of an Android version of the mobile application and the enhancement of the software infrastructure to support the simultaneous distribution of early warning signals to a large number of users.
