Funds For Earthquake Warning App Approved By LA City Council Committee

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Plans for an earthquake early warning system mobile app for Angelenos was moved forward Tuesday by a Los Angeles City Council committee, which gave a thumbs up to funding for the project.

The mobile app will be designed to provide advance notice that an earthquake is about to strike through a text or other electronic means. It would be designed to work with the system known as ShakeAlert, which is based on a network of in-ground sensors developed by United States Geological Survey to detect seismic activity.

The Information, Technology and General Services Committee approved the negotiation of a $300,000 contract with AT&T and the GRYD Foundation for the design, creation and deployment of the Early Earthquake Warning System Mobile Application.

Federal funding for the ShakeAlert West Coast earthquake warning system was restored in March. The House fiscal 2018 spending bill allocated more than $23 million for the system -- more than doubling the funding from last year.

"The system will not only help protect infrastructure and businesses, but also prevent injuries and save lives across California, Oregon and Washington," Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said in a statement.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)