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Implementing Public EEW in Guatemala: From Seismic Detection to Public Action

Description: 

Public Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) in Guatemala was launched via a mobile application in February 2024. Emerging seismic events are characterized using the SeisComP-based ESE system, using seismic data collected by the national seismic network and foreign partners. Alerts are delivered through critical push notifications using Firebase Cloud Messaging and Apple Push Notifications for Android and iPhone devices respectively. The deployment of this system marks an important step for risk reduction in a seismically active country with a highly vulnerable building stock. This study presents the Guate-EW initiative, which seeks to enhance the effectiveness of EEW by linking technological developments with institutional response tools and community-focused preparedness strategies.

In July 2025, a sequence of damaging earthquakes that were strongly felt in the capital Guatemala City were well characterised by the EEW system and the number of users increased temporarily to over 1 million, over 5% of the population. As the user base grew rapidly, our system struggled to provide low latency alerts to all users. In this presentation, we summarize the performance of the EEW system so far, focusing on alert dissemination and user experience during recent widely felt earthquakes in Guatemala. System performance metrics including detection and alert latencies, available warning times, and spatial dissemination are analyzed for selected events and linked to post-event survey data collected via social media, capturing alert reception, perceived shaking, and protective actions. Results confirmed variability in warning times and exposed wide diversity in behavioral responses, underscoring the importance of clear guidance and repeated exposure to alerts. Building on these findings, the EEW app is now being integrated into preparedness activities, including national earthquake drills led by civil protection authorities and the Red Cross. This integration represents a step toward connecting early warning with humanitarian response and public training, supporting the transition from EEW demonstration to effective operational use.

Session: Advancing Earthquake Early Warning: Science, Technology and Engagement in the U.S. and Beyond - III

Type: Oral

Date: 4/16/2026

Presentation Time: 03:15 PM (local time)

Presenting Author: Thomas Planès

Student Presenter: No

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