“Take a look at social media‘s growing role in disaster response, and see how these networks have aided in the rescue and relief efforts of multiple disasters already.”
That sums up this very interesting infographic! Disasters are terrible, but have been a facet of human society since the earliest days of mankind’s existence. Luckily, now increased communication channels, including social media, are starting to mitigate the horrible outcomes of disasters.
With 399 American deaths caused by disasters a year, a lot people lose their lives to the unforeseen. Storms account for 61.9 percent of deaths, and given how quickly a storm can develop, it is essential to have early warning systems.
Social media is a great way to get in touch with loved ones after disasters, with 76 percent of people connecting through social media channels to make sure their friends and family are okay. And 18 percent of people use Facebook to receive emergency information.
In fact, 35 percent requests for help on a responder’s wall and 25 percent call for help through Tweets. In many ways, social media is starting to replace, or at least ease the burden on traditional 911 services.
With a 1,650 tornadoes occurring in the U.S. every year, we can’t underestimate the impact of natural disasters. And the U.S. isn’t the only country that has to face such disasters.
In the wake of the 2011 Japanese Tsunami, some 4.5 million Facebook status updates were posted related to the Tsunami! And 2.3 million status updates were recorded regarding the Earthquake in Haiti. Talk about a quick way to spread the message to millions!
These statistics and data points should certainly cause us to take pause and think about how serious an issue, disaster response is. And as serious of an issue as it is in the United States, it’s just as big of an issue for countries around the world.
Check out the rest of the potentially life saving information on this great infographic!
