Quake warning system in sight

Pilot project that would alert people in high-risk areas may be finished in June

As part of a national plan to mitigate damage caused by earthquakes, China is expected to pilot a program that could warn the public of upcoming jolts with a countdown in seconds in key regions, including Beijing, according to the China Earthquake Administration.

The administration aims to complete the building of the earthquake early warning and instant seismic intensity reporting system this June in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei province cluster, as well as earthquake-prone Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in Southwest China, it said.

It also said that apart from sending alerts through devices such as TVs, mobile phones and warning terminals, the system for quake mitigation can also report seismic intensity within a minute of its occurrence.