Internet, Blogs, SMS Offer Tsunami Information, Coordination

Almost exactly one year ago, a disastrous earthquake struck Iran, and the Web was used by a number of international news media and relief organizations to disseminate news, share information about missing citizens, and coordinate relief efforts. This week, across southern Asia, news media websites, independent blogs, and SMS services on mobile phones are being used for news updates and coordination of what the UN regards as the largest relief effort ever.

Sri Lankan carriers broadcast help numbers via SMS to all their subscribers, as well as international users roaming domestically. Indian TV stations like NDTV regularly broadcast URLs and SMS numbers for inquiries and donations. CNN’s ticker tape display has a scrolling e-mail id: tsunami@cnn.com Singaporeans are turning to SMS, ATMs, and online banking to make donations. A blog at http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com is helping coordinate citizen volunteer organizations and lists hotlines for each country in the affected region, where the death toll just crossed 100,000.

What an awful way to end 2004 and begin 2005.