California has received congressional funding to begin rolling out an earthquake early-warning system next year, capping nearly a decade of planning, setbacks and technological breakthroughs, officials said Sunday.
Scientists have long planned to make such a system available to some schools, fire stations, and more private businesses in 2015, but their effort hinged on Congress providing $5 million. The system would give as much as a minute's warning before shaking is felt in metropolitan areas, a margin that experts say would increase survival.
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The U.S. Senate approved the allocation this weekend as part of the $1.1-trillion spending package, passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday, that will fund most of the U.S. government through the rest of the fiscal year. Officials plan to announce the funding at a news conference at Caltech on Monday.
The early-warning system is considered a major advance in seismic safety because it can give the public crucial seconds to prepare for the effects of shaking. Scientists eventually want to make alerts available to a wider public via phones, computers and special devices, such as modified weather radios, once the network is refined.
To the consternation of some, California is well behind Japan as well as Mexico, Taiwan, Turkey and other countries in using early-warning technology…..
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey say they need $16.1 million a year to build and maintain such a network for California, Oregon and Washington state.
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They said they need to more than double the existing network of 400 sensor stations, mostly by adding equipment in areas outside of Southern California. An additional 275 stations are needed in Oregon and Washington, said Doug Given, earthquake early-warning coordinator for the USGS.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) called the $5 million in funding "a down payment," but said "more funding is necessary to complete the system."
California receives U.S. funding for earthquake early-warning system - LA Times
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