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Here’s why you got an alert for the Malibu earthquake, but not the last one
(
Courtesy Jenn Baughmann
/
LAist
)
Thousands of Angelenos were jolted with a cell phone alert this morning around 7:30 a.m. that said: “Earthquake detected! Drop, Cover, Hold On,” just as a 4.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Malibu rattled the region.
So why the noisy alert for this earthquake but not say, the two quakes that struck near Ontario last weekend?
About the alert threshold
Turns out the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system for earthquakes are only triggered for magnitude 5.0 quakes or above. This morning’s temblor was preliminarily reported as a 5.0 by the USGS’s ShakeAlert system, and was downgraded to a 4.7 shortly after, so that’s why Angelenos were notified.
“We don’t want to really send an alert for every single earthquake. We want to send an alert for the consequential earthquakes. Those that you will feel in your location,” said José Lara with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
You won’t get the wireless emergency alerts unless they are turned on in your phone settings. Here’s how to do that for iPhone and Android.
Want more alerts?!
Lara recommends downloading the MyShake app, which has a lower alert threshold of 4.5 magnitude quakes.
We have earthquake resources
We don't want to scare you, but the Big One is coming. We don't know when, but we know it'll be at least 44 times stronger than Northridge and 11 times stronger than the Ridgecrest quakes in 2019. To help you get prepared, we've compiled a handy reading list:
- Your guide to surviving the Big One
- For earthquakes, forget the 'go-bag.' Here's how to prepare
- How to not get life-threatening diarrhea after a major earthquake
- 10 earthquake-related questions to ask your landlord immediately
- How to prepare for an earthquake if you have a disability
Listen to our podcast
Listen
31:11
The Big One: The Earthquake
You’re at Union Station when the big one hits. The next two minutes are terrifying. By the time you make your way outside, the Los Angeles you know is gone. Experience what the first hours after a massive earthquake could be like.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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