Tuesday’s minor earthquake in California was felt by a large number of people, but some smartphone users received a warning before it occurred owing to technology created at the University of California, Berkeley.

Following the Magnitude 5.1 earthquake, as is typical, many individuals turned to Twitter. But some claim to have received the alert first.

Android users received a warning just a few seconds before the earthquake, but experts are hopeful that in the future, technology will give people more than enough time to reach safety or to cover themselves.

How it works?

MyShake, an app developed by Berkeley researchers, can provide a quick earthquake warning by spotting an earthquake’s signals moments before it is felt. Consider how lightning can be seen before thunder is heard.

The software is compatible with both iPhone and Android, but Google declared in 2020 that it would integrate Berkeley’s technology directly into Android, making it available to a much larger audience.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai also tweeted about getting the alert.

Data from Downdetector shows that reports of issues with Instagram increased significantly on Monday morning, with users alleging sporadic account suspensions and frequent app breakdowns.

Instagram accounts were reported to have been suspended without cause in many comments on Downdetector and messages on Twitter. As of 10:15 a.m. New York time, there had been over 7,000 reports of disruptions.

Instagram stated that it is looking into ways to fix the problem. Requests for comment from a spokeswoman for the photo-sharing app owned by Meta Platforms Inc. were not immediately returned.