Facebook activates Safety Check for the Chennai floods

To help people cope with the devastation created by the torrential rains in Chennai--the worst the region has witnessed in over a century--Facebook has activated their Safety Check tool. This tool, introduced in October last year and first activated during the Nepal earthquakes of April, effectively lets Facebook users mark themselves as being safe, so their connected friends and family are aware of their condition during times of natural and man-made calamities.

This feature is especially useful, given that most other conventional communication lines--including telephone networks--are down during this time across the affected areas. With the rains lashing the region for the fourth day in a row, the death toll has risen to nearly 200, with thousands stranded in their residences or places of work. Transportation to and from the city has also been significantly affected with the city’s international airport shutting down operations due to excessive flooding flooding on the runway and tarmac.

If you happen to be in the area and want to update your Facebook connections about about your safety, use the Safety Check tool here. You can also use this link to check on the status of friends and family who may be in the area.

Know more about the Facebook Safety Check feature here.