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Google Search now has a Knowledge Graph card for timely earthquake info

Often times, the quickest way to confirm whether that rumble you felt was an earthquake is by checking Twitter or other social media for posts about it. As people also have a tendency to frantically search the web after major events, Google has added an earthquake card to search results that will provide a quick summary and safety tips.

Searching for “earthquake,” “earthquakes near me” or similar queries after a seismic event will bring up the relevant Knowledge Graph entry. A bright red card shows the magnitude, distance from a major city, and the exact time it occurred. A shakemap also shows the areas that shook with various intensities to help gauge the epicenter and reach of the quake, and at the bottom, there is a link to the US Geological Survey for more information.

Underneath the main entry there is a carousel of other quakes with a small map and brief summary. A dropdown also lists various tips on how to stay safe during an earthquake.

It appears that the card only pops up if an earthquake has actually happened in your vicinity recently:

In the event of an earthquake, searches for “earthquake,” “earthquakes near me” or similar queries will give you an at-a-glance summary about the quake, right at the top of the search page.

Google’s other safety-related Knowledge Graph entries include police activity and other natural disasters like weather advisories and tornado warnings. Earlier this month, Google began listing possible health conditions when you search for symptoms with advice on treatment.

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com