When the super-typhoon Ondoy hit the Philippines the Internet was used to dispatch information on relief organizations, evacuation sites and supplies needed to help flood victims. People not only got updates from social networks like Facebook and Twitter, but used these to reach out for help. Hello World checks today's technology's role in disaster prevention.

Three days after typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) devastated Metro Manila in the Philippines, volunteers from different sectors of society have launched fund-raising initiatives and relief-goods distribution efforts to those who have been greatly affected by the floods. The Philippine Red Cross led the way in distributing supplies and garnering online donation for those afflicted by the calamity.

Help is directed toward evacuation centers that offer temporary shelters to about 374,890 victims, according to a government report. In an official report of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, about 609,548 people have been directly impacted by the calamity—people who are vulnerable to sickness and still need basic commodities, medicines and other urgent supplies.

The last time the Philippines experienced such heavy rainfall was over 40 years ago, in 1967. Pagasa, the country’s weather bureau, said that just in 6 hours 34.1 centimeters of rain fell on Metro Manila, which was equal to a one-month average rainfall. Typhoon Ondoy is considered more powerful than Hurricane Katrina that devastated the New Orleans.

The calamity brings to light the disaster-preparedness of a country that is visited by almost 40 typhoons in a year. Rescue organizations were not able to cope up with the challenges as they were just simply not used to such scale of disaster. Boats and other floatation devices were not readily available to those who were trapped on their rooftops. But if there’s anything positive that has emerged from the devastation, it is the spirit of volunteerism among Filipinos who use the Internet as a tool to disseminate urgent information.

Technology-enabled volunteerism

With Filipinos as some of the most Internet-savvy in the world, it is no surprise that Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, Flickr and Youtube are used to as important bulletin boards where people post information about relief centers, hotline numbers and volunteer activities. The OndoyRelief.org directs users to the official site of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), offering a comprehensive listing of contact numbers and relief goods drop-off points.

In their official site, PNRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang urges people to be on guard for occurrences that may happen after the Ondoy tragedy. “Let us all continue to monitor, coordinate and report status of evacuees, overflow of dams, landslides, floods and general conditions to the PNRC National Headquarters Operation Center,” she said.

In his blog, Inquirer columnist Manuel Quezon III advises his fellow bloggers to “help on collating specific types of information they encounter online: appeals for rescue, traffic/flood updates, places to send relief goods, power failures, etc. This allows relief workers and media to focus on who needs help.”

The many platforms of Google have also been utilized to focus on specific concerns that will enable Internet users to procure reliable information. A certain KaninLamig (Cold Rice) created an interactive Google map where locations in dire need of help are pinpointed. A Google spreadsheet, on the other hand, lists down the places where volunteers can drop off supplies or offer manpower.

The power of the Internet

The Internet is flooded by updates from different news agencies, apart from the blogging sites run by citizen journalists. “Ondoy” and “NDCC” (National Disaster Coordinating Council) became top-trending topics in the micro-blogging site, Twitter.

Moongirl of who has a blog for Wordpress sees the power of the Internet to alleviate dire situations such as the devastation wracked by Ondoy. “I’m not one for feeling helpless – and neither are the rest of the Filipinos around the world. When Typhoon Ondoy struck Manila this weekend and buried 80% of it underwater, everyone went online on Facebook and Twitter and started what my dad calls People Power 3.”

Filipinos outside the country have been able to quickly get updates on the calamity and organized their own fund-raising events such as the one organized in at Bounce in New York City. Organizers blog: “Typhoon Ondoy has devastated the Philippines but has not broken the Filipino spirit. Come out to the not so 'happy' happy hour for a great cause and support the typhoon victims.”

With the government seemingly helpless against the enormity of the catastrophe, it is interesting to note how the people have taken the initiative and instead of waiting for help from relief agencies, marshaled their own resources to quickly respond to the destruction wrought by Ondoy.

Some helpful links

A comprehensive blog by columnist Manuel Quezon III mobilizing volunteers and offering information of hotlines and relief goods drop-off points: http://www.quezon.ph

A site created by Google showing an interactive map and a spread sheet containing detailed information on where to bring cash and good donations: http://sites.google.com/site/ondoymanila

A site that offers information connected to the relief efforts for those victimized by typhoon Ondoy: http://www.ondoyrelief.org

The official site of the Philippine Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org.ph

Unofficial List of missing people created by Ateneo de Manila University: http://ateneotaskforceondoy.misa.org.ph