Electrons move faster than earthquakes, giving new automated alert systems a few key seconds to warn outlying areas that some shaking is on the way.

This project is moving forward as quickly as possible, says Doug Given, but to be fully effective it requires the installation of many more sensors along the biggest known fault lines.

In setting all this up, priority has been given to the San Andreas Fault, one of the longest and most active in all of California.

Read more here about plans for broadcasting earthquake alerts to cell phones in Japan.