Android's Earthquake Alerts System is getting smarter about telling you to take action

Android’s built-in earthquake alerts are expanding to a lot more places. Google’s announced that the system that’s been available in 98 countries and regions to date is now available in more than 200. The alerts themselves are getting an upgrade, too.

Google made the announcements in a blog post that wraps up a handful of earthquake alert updates. The post says that the new regions where earthquake alerts are now available includes Panama and Guatemala, though as of publication, the feature’s support documentation hasn’t yet been updated to include the full list.

The Android Earthquake Alerts System’s alerts will soon be more detailed, too. When a serious earthquake is detected within a certain radius, a special, bright yellow notification will appear on your lock screen, including a map of the affected area. That update is rolling out “in the coming months.” When “moderate to heavy” earthquakes are detected nearby, you’ll get the same full-screen alert as always, including instructions to take cover ASAP.

Google says Android has sent more than a billion individual automatic earthquake updates over the past five years. The alerts were reportedly a considerable help when Venezuela was hit with back-to-back major earthquakes in June. The quakes were still devastating, but user reports show that at least some people were alerted in time to get to safety.