The Silicon Review ^Asia

This new development can now predict earthquakes even before they occur. A team of scientists from the Indian Institute of Roorkee have developed a system which has the capability to alert about the occurrence of earthquakes. The system can alert upto a minute before the tremor occurs.

The new system has been tested in some areas of Uttarakhand. It is made up of a network of sensors which can detect various types of seismic waves through the layers of the earth after a tremor.

Current methods of prediction are not effective enough, the statistical method is not accurate enough but the news system can warn people a lead time ranging from 10 seconds to 1 minute.

Till now, more than 100 sensors have been deployed in Uttarakhand. These sensors send real-time information from different stations to the labs. The scientists analyse the data in real time and study the earthquake magnitude related data.

The new system sends signal if the magnitude of the earthquake is greater than 6.

With the new system research for 2 years, a siren system was also deployed in the region in 2017 that can alert people upto 200 metres away.

The sensors are currently deployed from the US with a costing of Rs. 1.5 lakhs. A similar version has been developed by the researchers of the premium institute which would cost around Rs. 50,000.

To safeguard the North Indian region, at least 6,000 sensors would be required.