Severe weather and devastating storms in the southern United States in late April remind all of us of the power of social media and its benefits during times of crisis and natural disasters. Not surprisingly, social networking sites have recently been credited for 'saving lives' through updates via Facebook and Twitter about impending storms.
Since the recent spike in extreme weather and natural calamities, beginning with the earthquakes in Chile, Haiti and New Zealand, social media has established itself as a go-to medium during times of natural disaster for news and photographs depicting destruction as well as information on relief aid.
However, most importantly, networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Google's Person Finder have become a lifeline for victims seeking information and help during these disasters. In a 2010 Red Cross survey, research found web users are increasingly utilizing social media for news, updates and help in a disaster. In addition:
- Forty-nine percent of respondents 'probably or definitely would' use social media to alert loved ones of their safety
- More than two-thirds believe emergency response agencies should regularly monitor their websites and social media sites to properly respond to requests for help
- And of those two-thirds, 74 percent expected help to come less than an hour after their tweet or Facebook post
News sources have also established a large presence on various social media platforms. The Weather Channel boasts close to 80,000 followers on Twitter, updating users on extreme weather conditions. Even local news affiliates such as ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, AL, created a live UStream video of incoming tornadoes, attracting over 9 million video views during the deadly storms.
Another benefit of social media during natural disasters includes assistance in relief aid. After destructive storms swept through the southern United States, pages on social networking sites instantly were created to assist in disaster relief. A Facebook page was created assisting residents in identifying lost articles during the storms, currently attracting over 80,000 fans. Additionally, the American Red Cross created a interactive map identifying available shelters throughout the U.S. for affected citizens.
Anyone doubting the power of social media need only look as far as the statistics during the recent devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami off the coast of Japan. Facebook counted 4.5 million status updates from 3.8 million users across the world on March 11 that mentioned “Japan,” “earthquake” or “tsunami.” Twitter reported tweets coming from Tokyo were topping 1,200 per minute, according to Tweet-o-Meter, with trending hashtags #prayforjapan, #japan, #japanquake and #tsunami. In addition, Twitter users shared the tsunami’s estimated times of arrival to U.S. shores — before an official government tsunami warning went into effect.
Even the government took to social media after the Japan quake. In a message sent from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to American citizens in Japan, the Embassy encouraged U.S. citizens “to continue your efforts to be in contact with your loved one(s) using SMS texting and other social media (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.) that your loved one(s) may use.”
Note to readers: this post does not imply to reach for your smartphones or computers before taking the necessary precautions during an imminent storm!