Türkiye’s earthquake early warning network is set for an upgrade as new seafloor sensors planned for the Marmara Sea are expected to reduce alert times to as little as three to six seconds, strengthening Istanbul’s preparedness.
Officials from the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute detailed the plan at a briefing, noting that the current system generated its first alert 8.4 seconds after the magnitude 5 quake off Maramara on Oct. 2.
The system works by detecting P-waves — the initial, non-destructive signals that arrive before the more damaging S-waves — allowing alarms to be issued within seconds.
Although modern stations have already cut data-transmission delays on land to just 0.2 seconds, the lack of real-time seafloor sensors creates a natural six-second lag as seismic waves travel from offshore faults to coastal stations.
Professor Nurcan Meral Özel, the institute’s director, said 30 newly installed land-based stations have already reduced average delays from five to six seconds to as low as two to four seconds, but bridging the offshore gap is now the priority.
Özel said Istanbul aims to operate a “fast and reliable” warning system supported by modernized equipment, renewed stations and extensive field testing.
The system, initially launched with a small pilot user group, now serves between 1,500 and 3,000 users. Plans call for at least five fully online seafloor stations along the northern fault line, though deep-water installation costs remain high.
The improved system will also trigger automatic safety actions, including halting metro and train services, shutting gas valves, isolating electrical lines and guiding emergency responses in hospitals and schools.
The research institute has additionally launched a mobile early-warning application for the public.
