Oregon Office Building Will Give Tenants Earthquake Warning

A Portland, Ore. office building will be able to warn tenants when an earthquake is about to strike.

KGW-TV reported that the Radiator building is equipped with an earthquake early warning system. Sensors buried below the building can detect an initial rupture of an earthquake and instantly sound an alarm and send text messages to tenants before more damaging shock waves arrive.

The system will also lower the elevators and lock them to the ground floor and turn off the gas main.

The developer Kaiser group says it is the first early-warning system of its kind in the Northwest. It cost $65,000.