Japan launched an early earthquake warning system

Japan began to operate the world's first early earthquake warning system, designed to generate an alarm signal only seconds before a strong earthquake occurred.

This alarm signal will be transmitted publicly at a number of locations, and will also be transmitted by digital and communication techniques.

The system started operating this week takes advantage of the gap between two earthquake waves.

The first wave is smaller and is transmitted at a rate of 7 kilometers per second, while the stronger next wave moves at four kilometers per second.

Japan has an earthquake tracking system consisting of about 1,000 seismic recorders that have been developed for decades. These machines are now connected by a computerized system that can signal an earthquake warning.