Feds award money to boost quake warnings

SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey has awarded $4.9 million to six universities and a nonprofit to help advance an early warning system for earthquakes along the West Coast.

The federal agency says the ShakeAlert system could give people seconds or up to a minute of warning before strong shaking begins. In the Pacific Northwest, it is primarily for the benefit of inland population centers; the coastline nearest the Cascadia subduction zone will experience violent shaking before any meaningful warning could be delivered.

In the next 30 years, California has a 99.7 percent chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake and the Pacific Northwest has a 10 percent chance of a magnitude 8 to 9 megathrust earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone, according to www.shakealert.org.

The University of Washington, Central Washington University and University of Oregon are among those receiving grants.

Congress provided $10.2 million in money to the earthquake hazards program earlier this year.

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer of Washington state pushed for funding, saying such the early warning system is critical.

The grants will help scientists thoroughly test the system and improve its performance. New seismic stations also will be installed to boost speed and reliability of warnings.

“ShakeAlert can give enough time to slow and stop trains and taxiing planes, to prevent cars from entering bridges and tunnels, to move away from dangerous machines or chemicals in work environments and to take cover under a desk, or to automatically shut down and isolate industrial systems. Taking such actions before shaking starts can reduce damage and casualties during an earthquake,” the system’s website says.