Two powerful earthquakes struck Mexico earlier this month, ravaging the country and resulting in hundreds of casualties. Thankfully, fewer lives were lost compared to 1985’s earthquake that claimed thousands of lives and billions of dollars in damages. Smartphone apps may have been a contributing factor.
After 1985, the Mexican Seismic Alert System (Sasmex) was developed, an alert system detecting seismic tremors along the Western coast and sending at least a minute’s notice to residents of an impending quake via radio and television. Sasmex has since connected to smartphone apps like Sismos Mexico and Earthquake Alert, improving its speed and accessibility. The sooner the warning reaches residents, the faster they can safely take cover.