Monitor Significant Earthquakes Worldwide

A useful earthquake monitor distinguishes a new event from a scientific revision and a data record from a public warning. The USGS Earthquake Scraper supplies IDs, event and update times, magnitude, location, depth, significance, and PAGER alert metadata for that separation.

Configure a rolling significant-event feed

Use a threshold appropriate to the operation, then keep the time window bounded.

{"minMagnitude":5.5,"orderBy":"time","maxResults":100}

Schedule the Task at a sensible interval. In your database, upsert by id. Send a “new event” notification only when an ID first appears. When an existing ID returns with a newer updated value, compare magnitude, place, depth, status, alert, and tsunami metadata before deciding whether to issue a revision message.

Add geographic routing downstream using latitude and longitude. A global logistics team may notify regional owners only inside defined operating areas; a newsroom may prioritize significance and felt reports. Do not infer impact from magnitude alone. Depth, distance, exposure, and official assessments matter.

Monitor the workflow itself. Check successful Task completion, newest event time, row count, and schema. Zero new IDs can be normal. Store source links in every message so responders can inspect the evolving official event page.

This workflow improves awareness and auditability, but it must never be described as earthquake prediction, emergency warning, or a tsunami alert. USGS records can change as analysis improves, and safety actions belong to official local and national authorities.