Tuesday 19 November 2013

#BBCtrending: Can Twitter save you in a tornado?



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Caught up in a major disaster you could cry for help or phone emergency services - should you also tweet?
An initiative called Micromappers has enlisted digital humanitarian volunteers to sift through tweets to help emergency services locate those in need during recent major natural disasters including the Pakistan earthquake and Oklahoma tornado.
Justine Mackinnon explained to #BBCtrending how the method was used to direct UN aid workers in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan.
The team is also in talks with Facebook to see if they can use it in a similar way. Its effectiveness remains unclear in areas with lower smartphone and online penetration.