Did Google’s earthquake alert system fail in Turkey’s 2023 disaster? A closer look at its flaws and the impact of inaccurate warning algorithms.
 |
| Exploring the flaws in Google’s earthquake alert system that left millions unprepared for Turkey’s 2023 quake—why it failed and what needs to change. Image: CH |
Istanbul, Turkey – July 28, 2025:
Did Google’s earthquake alert system fail to protect millions during the 2023 earthquake in Turkey? The tech giant’s failure to accurately warn users about the deadly tremor has sparked widespread concern. Despite having the capability to issue its highest-level "Take Action" alerts to approximately 10 million people within 98 miles of the epicenter, only 469 such warnings were sent when the first 7.8 magnitude quake hit.
Instead, half a million users received a lower-priority “Be Aware” alert—intended for light shaking—which does not take over users' screens or override Do Not Disturb settings. This failure to provide timely and critical warnings left many unprepared as the quake struck at 04:17 while many people were asleep.
With over 55,000 deaths and more than 100,000 injuries reported from the disaster, Google’s Android-based Earthquake Alerts (AEA) system was in place but failed to estimate the earthquake’s true magnitude. Initial calculations placed the tremor’s strength at just 4.5 to 4.9 on the Moment Magnitude Scale (MMS), when it was, in reality, a massive 7.8 earthquake.
Months after the quake, the BBC found that no one it interviewed in the affected areas reported receiving a "Take Action" alert. This raised serious questions about the system’s reliability and effectiveness during major seismic events. Google initially defended the system, but researchers later admitted flaws in its detection algorithms.
In response, Google recalibrated its system. When it simulated the first earthquake again, the updated algorithms would have sent 10 million "Take Action" alerts to the most at-risk areas and 67 million "Be Aware" warnings to users further away.
"We continue to improve the system based on the lessons learned from each earthquake," a Google spokesperson stated.
However, the delays in acknowledging the problem have sparked frustration among experts. Elizabeth Reddy, Assistant Professor at Colorado School of Mines, expressed her concerns: “It’s frustrating that it took over two years to disclose the full scope of these issues. People died—this system didn’t perform as we expected."
While Google argues that its alert system is meant to be a supplementary tool to national systems, experts warn that overreliance on such technology could lead to dangerous consequences. “Transparency is crucial,” said Harold Tobin, Director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. “If countries start assuming that Google is handling it, they might ignore their own earthquake preparedness systems.”
Despite its shortcomings in Turkey, Google’s Earthquake Alerts system has since been improved and deployed in 98 countries. The BBC has requested information on how the system performed during the 2025 earthquake in Myanmar, but Google has yet to respond.