Quick Earthquake Messages Service for worldwide earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or above on Twitter launched for trial operation

The Observatory launched on Twitter today (11 April 2013) the new Quick Earthquake Messages Service for global earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or above (QEM5.0+) for trial operation. Users can now obtain quick notification of the occurrence of global earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or above via the Twitter account "Global Quake Messages 5.0+" at https://twitter.com/HKOEARTHQUAKE5E. The information provided will include origin date and time of the earthquake, magnitude and epicenter location in latitude and longitude, a short description about the reference region for the epicenter location and an URL to Google map indicating the epicenter location. These Twitter messages are compiled and posted by the Observatory's automatic seismic information system without human intervention so as to expedite information release.

The QEM5.0+ service is an extension of the similar service for global earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or above and locally felt tremors (QEM6.0+) officially launched in August 2012 (http://www.hko.gov.hk/whatsnew/d2/wis20120822_e.htm). QEM5.0+ and QEM6.0+ will be disseminated in different accounts in Twitter. Users can receive notification of earthquake messages of magnitude 5.0 or above or 6.0 or above at their own choice. According to past records, there were on average around 2,000 and 200 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or above and 6.0 or above respectively every year globally.

More information about QEM5.0+ can be found at the HKO webpage: http://www.hko.gov.hk/gts/equake/hkoqeme5.htm

Quick Earthquake Messages M5.0+