IIT launches India’s 1st Earthquake Early-Warning App

The Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee) recently launched India’s first earthquake early-warning app.

The app, called the Uttarakhand Bhookamp Alert, is sponsored by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA).

The app is available in the Apple Store and the Google Play Store.

It contains a real-time earthquake information system that detects and issues warnings of the onset of an earthquake.

IIT-Roorkee recently explained how the app works in a statement.

The physical basis for an early-warning system for earthquakes is the speed of the seismic waves.

During an earthquake, the earth shakes due to shear waves, which travel at half the speed of primary waves and are slower than electromagnetic signals.

According to IIT-Roorkee, they have used this information to develop their app.

The IIT also said that the app was launched as a pilot project first, by the Ministry of Earth Sciences for the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.

The Uttarakhand government then extended the project proposal.

IIT-Roorkee Director, Professor Akit K Chaturvedi, said the app will warn people of earthquakes, their intensity and their expected location and time of arrival.

Chaturvedi believes that this can prevent large death numbers, as the app also offers advice on evacuation and relocation.

The app is also the only one in the world to record the locations of people in distress, and send them to the Disaster Response Force.

IIT-Roorkee explains the app’s entire list of features in a report.

According to the report, Uttarakhand Bhookamp Alert gives early warnings of earthquakes originating in Uttarakhand.

A notification is issued for non-damaging earthquakes, and a warning is issued for earthquakes with magnitudes higher than five on the Richter scale.

The app’s server estimates if the earthquake is damaging before issuing the warning.

In order for the warnings to be issued, Uttarakhand Bhookamp Alert requires its users to grant notification permission.

Users must also grant location permission in order for their location to be shared with rescue teams.

In the event of an earthquake, the app contains step-by-step guides for users on how to keep themselves safe.

There are both demonstrations and videos for users on how to prepare for an earthquake and for a potential evacuation.

The Uttarakhand Bhookamp Alert app is the first of its kind in India. However, the concept is already used around the world.

The USA currently has the app MyShake. Its system uses ground-motion sensors to detect an earthquake, as well as its size, location and impact.