Emergency event blog: 2013

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

#BBCtrending: Can Twitter save you in a tornado?

#BBCtrending: Can Twitter save you in a tornado? (BBC, Nov 19th 2013)

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Fact file: storm surge

Storm surge (Wikipedia)

Storm Surge Overview (NOAA)

storm surge (National Geographic)
Storm surge (Met Office UK)

Storm Surge 101: What they are, and how to prepare for them (GMA News, Nov 15th 2013)

Ferocious winds drove Tacloban surge (BBC, Nov 11th 2013)

Philippines Typhoon Haiyan: 'Storm surge crushed all of these buildings' (BBC, Nov 10th 2013)

Haiyan storm surges caught Philippines by surprise (Yahoo/AP, Nov 11th 2013)
Field Teams Collect Valuable Storm Surge Data (Hal Needham's blog, Aug 1 2014)

CryoSat measures European storm surge

Why so much emphasis on storm surge? This graphic might help. @NHC_Surge @NHC_Atlantic #NWAS14 pic.twitter.com/6PMFUozHLQ
— Ryan Phillips NBC6 (@RyanNBC6) October 23, 2014

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Typhoon #Haiyan facts

Haiyan's True Intensity and Death Toll Still Unknown
(wundergrund.com, Nov 15th 2013)(via @EricHolthaus)
Super Typhoon Haiyan's Intensification and Unusually Warm Sub-Surface Waters
(wundergrund.com, Nov 13th 2013)(via @EricHolthaus)
8 maps that explain why Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines so hard (Washington Post, Nov 15th 2013)
Home › Earth Topics › Natural Disasters › Hurricane (ESA)
Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines (UN-Spider)

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

@twitter_ph @GooglePH Simplified combined account creation procedure[<=during a calamity]

NTC appeals to public to limit their communication in critical areas to text messages, as calls may congest communication lines. #YolandaPH
— Solar News (@solartvnews) November 13, 2013

background Emergency communication setup using Twitter

Since many 'common people' aren't that familiar with using the internet, setting up & using e-mail (possibly never did that before in their life) and the usefulness of using twitter to communicate in order to limit precious network bandwidth, I suggest that you think about the following:

How about ONE (simple) webpage where new users who wants to use Twitter, Google+ primarily for improving their situation during this current emergency, which registers and verifies the user immediately without the need of first creating an e-mail account and then applying for Twitter membership afterwards. A webpage with just a few questions asked and a check if their chosen Twitter handle, Google+ name is already in use. It always possible to contact your new users after things have calmed a bit and ask them for addition info/verification or suspend their account when they don't react.

Imagine those people who have just limited internet access (possibly need to share it with a bunch of other people) in those areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda. Possibly left with only a few minutes of battery power for using their internet access device (tablet,notebook, smartphone).

I think it's possible to limit this new 'emergency feature' to those calamity affected areas by filtering their IP ranges in order to reduce risk of abuse

[update]

In case of emergency: Twitter Alerts send you important Tweets from select public agencies and safety organizations. https://t.co/Qjum1yuqdT
— Support (@Support) November 12, 2013

Maybe add a feature (option) to this new 'simplified registration' webpage, which allows to 'auto-follow' a list of important Twitter handles (government officials, aid agencies, newspapers) and to get updates by 'Twitter alerts'.
This would eliminate the need for a 'search and follow mission', which could take the new user hours to find all those extremely important accounts. (It's easy to unfollow those who are not needed anymore, later)
[/update]

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Typhoon #YolandaPH compilation of important information #ReliefPH

Typhoon Yolanda: Crisis and relief map
(via @govph & @twitter_ph)

Person finder by Google
#YolandaPH: Help map critical reports for Project Agos

For tracing request use hashtag "TracingPH" and "RescuePH" http://t.co/SB5mTqW2qS
— Philippine Red Cross (@philredcross) November 10, 2013

#Philippines using social media hashtags to reach out to victims of #haiyan #yolandaPH @philredcross @TyphoonHaiyan pic.twitter.com/PqyFveWRna
— AustraliaNetworkNews (@an_news) November 10, 2013

Twitter list providing important information re aftermath of Yolanda [EZR_news - service]

twitter stream of this list also displayed publicly on this blog!==>
PHL: ABS-CBN TV live streaming (English)

Typhoon Yolanda: UN Needs Your Help Tagging Crisis Tweets for Disaster Response (Updated)

(via @hemant_Pt)

Use the best of Google on the go, data charge free. (Google)

ham radio emergency response:

Hams in Philippines Support Critical Communication in Typhoon’s Wake [ARRL, Nov 9th 2013]

"Ham Emergency Radio Operator(s) (HERO) continue(s) to help authorities" [southgatearc.org]

(via @SAR_News)
Hams increase their Philippines typhoon disaster role [southgatearc.org]
ITU Deploys Satellite Communication Equipment to the Philippines, Ham Radio Response Continues [arrl.org]

Request by @DX1PAR : "Requesting DX hams to please keep 7095 kHz clear of traffic as we conduct Ham Emergency Radio Operations (HERO/ARES) "

Emergency communication setup using Twitter [EZR compilation]

Prevention strategies to limit impact of catastrophic events [EZR compilation]

#YolandaPH - For British nationals who require urgent help due to the typhoon, please call us at +63 2 858 2200. Take care! #RescuePH
— UKinthePhilippines (@ukinphilippines) November 10, 2013

twitterfeed=on

a must follow: (can't post all updates here!)

If you are in Iloilo and want to volunteer to pack relief goods for #YolandaPH, you can call 337-6221, 508-6775, 508-6867.
— PIA News (@PIANewsDesk) November 10, 2013

Per @NGCP_ALERT #YOLANDA UPDATE:11AM 10NOV The following transmission facilities are still affected by the Typhoon http://t.co/t5dV2KyPFJ
— DOE Philippines (@doe_ph) November 10, 2013

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Useful links re Cyclone #Phailin

Twitter list to follow: https://twitter.com/EZR_news/lists/emergency-event-asia
Tweets from media,reporters, Indian military, Indian officials, common people providing reliable info, telecom firms,meteorogists
(constant updates, but content can change once disaster is over)

People finder by Google (deactivated by now)

#Cyclone #Phailin #Odisha #Orissa- emergency messages 1+2

Emergency communication when landlines/mobile networks are down (re Hamradio, Odisha) (*)
Hamradio use in previous Indian catastrophes (re Odisha, Orissa) (*)

Some Indian ham radio operators on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/nrjshm
https://twitter.com/vu2jau
https://twitter.com/vu2dpi

* = post contains Java script for the display of Tweets

Cyclone #Phailin - press reports

Analysis: How a prepared India saved lives during monster storm Phailin (Reuters, Oct 14th 2013)
Odisha toll 25 as cyclone Phailin triggers flood (Doordeshan News, Oct 14th 2013)
Indians Praise Cyclone Phailin Evacuation: 'If We Had Stayed Here, Everyone In The Village Would Be Dead' (Huffington Post , Oct 14th 2013)
In the eye of a storm: How Indian bureaucrats got it right (Reuters, Oct 14th 2013)
Cyclone Phailin: The Road Ahead (WSJ, Oct 15th 2013)
Early warning, massive evacuations save eastern India from large cyclone casualties(eenews.net,Oct 1513)
Lessons from Cyclone Phailin and its 1999 malevolent ancestor (DNAIndia, Oct 16th 2013)

more articles to be added ...

Monday, October 14, 2013

Other websites with valuable information on disasters

Preventionweb (project of UNISDR)

How to use social media during a disaster

proper hashtags
Make sure that you use the right '#' hashtag, so that others are able to see/read your tweet when they monitor their incoming timeline with this group used as a filter. Always check if other Twitter users use different hashtags and if those used by others are much more 'popular' than yours. During Cyclone Phailin at least two hashtags were used: #Phailin and #CyclonePhailin
Since #CyclonePhailin is much longer than just #Phailin it didn't attract as many Twitterati and due to the 140 character limitation of a tweet a long hashtag also leaves little space for the content of your tweet. If you encounter other tweets with no or seldom used hashtags feel free to remind sender in a friendly way that he/she will reach a much wider audience when the most popular hashtag is used instead.

language use
If possible use a language most people are able to understand. Try not to use too colloquial language or regional dialect, since many potential helpers won't understand at all, or they might get it wrong.

personal profile
During an emergency not only your 'usual followers', your traditional audience will read your tweets, but people from all of the world, who might not immediately know where you live !
Some bios aren't that clear, and although it's not necessary to know your full 'real life' name, a description of where you are would be very helpful to direct help to your area or to be able to connect your description of the situation with a point on the map. So change the 'cool stuff' you usually have under your bio into something more useful. After a rescue or the situation going back to normal you can switch back.
Since many foreigners might not know your town/village it's also recommended that you use:
town (perhaps also 'near XYZ'), province, state

quoting others
quoting & how '@name' works in Twitter[EZRbackground]

How to spread valuable information not rumors

During Hurricane Sandy struck New York City and neighboring areas the wildest rumors, disinformation was spread in social media such as Twitter. Often photos were shared with others which were actually taken earlier or at another location. Sometimes photos depicting the wildest 'evidence' of sharks in New York's submerged streets subway showed up or divers have supposedly inspected New York's subway system. Those fakes were produced by Photoshop and other editing software and have no doubt misled users of those social networks. Besides 'ordinary citizens' also some journalists have been fooled which resulted sometimes in completely bogus reporting: One such example was the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) which some otherwise respected financial media have described also to be submerged by X feet of water and the resulting 'closure' before the resumption of regular operations has indeed stirred some unrest in the international stock market. This isn't funny anymore when people lose their savings or the economy is damaged by people who are just a bit too eager to report 'big news'

Here are some articles giving guidance about the 'dos and don'ts' of reporting.

CNN, Weather Channel Falsely Report NYSE Flooding During Hurricane Sandy
(Huffington Post Oct 29th 2012)

The role ham radio can play during an emergency situation

Amateur radio emergency communications (Wiki)

Backgrounder: Amateur Radio Emergency Communication (ARRL)

The very particular world of amateur radio (BBC, Nov 13th 2013)

Limiting impacts of calamities, ideas for improvement of disaster relief efforts

Prevention strategies to limit impact of catastrophic events [EZRdevelop, compilation]
contains tips for preserving vital infrastructure such as transport, power grid, telecommunication. Initially regarding what went wrong when Hurricane Sandy hit US East Coast, and what measures have been taken or are going to be implemented. Some tips for commercially already available technology which can help to sustain vital services to the public.

How to use your phone/computer during a power outage

Smartphone survival guide:How to stretch your battery life (CNET, Nov 2012)

If you use your laptop/phone/tablet during while it's freezing or just cold, make sure that all batteries stay warm, since batteries lose much of their capacity whenever temperatures drop significantly below 'room temperature'.
When you are noticed in advance of a disaster likely to strike in your area, make sure that you recharge all available batteries.
Old phones/laptops can be often used as backup power although often their old batteries don't have full capacity anymore.
If you own a car/truck you can use its 12V/24V battery. Don't use long extension cords when using low voltage, because thin cables have extremely high losses and also voltage can go lower than your equipment requires.

Try to avoid DC/AC inverters, since using low voltage radios, recharging units, etc don't have conversion losses. If you need to use a DC/AC inverter make sure to disconnect the unit once you don't need the AC power anymore, otherwise they will suck your battery empty in standby mode.
When you connect to a wireless phone/internet network make sure to have optimum reception. Install external antennas or go near window etc in order to get strongest possible signal. Your phone/internet connection unit will reduce its transmitting power accordingly ! So when you are in the basement don't be shocked when your battery is empty rather sooner than later.

related:
Hurricane Sandy - Emergency communication setup using Twitter [EZR compilation]

Calamity help - USA

Weather Europe (several languages) - Twitter list

https://twitter.com/EZR_news/lists/weather-eu

Weather North America - Twitter list

https://twitter.com/EZR_news/lists/weather-us

Calamity warnings - earthquakes, storms, meteors, volcanoesTwitter list

https://twitter.com/EZR_news/lists/calamity-warnings

Welcome to new blog

Dear reader,

Cyclone #Phailin just hit India with brute force and since this major disaster is the third major event covered by EZR news, it's time to give the emergency response more room, and to keep it separated from the other content which is perhaps too specific and 'dry' for people in need of relief effort related content.

So far some blog entries with useful instructions for people being affected by those disasters have been published on two different blogs: The main blog (eurozoneremarks.blogspot.com) and the blog for development, energy, investment, etc.

Those blog entries will remain where they are currently located, but some links to those 'older' blog entries will be added here of course.

Besides offering an immediate, customized response for people in need of vital information during such disasters there will be also some tips for others providing help, assistance or who 'just' fulfill a reporting/informing role.

Be advised that only the most severe natural disasters can be covered , or those most likely to evolve to something very threatening for human life and/or property. Such as Hurricane Sandy, The floods in Central Europe 2013, and Cyclone Phailin right now.

With access to over 2000 news sources worldwide and some experience in filtering social media like Twitter only such information will get 'republished' which has been proven reliable (and which was double checked). Doesn't matter if those infos useful for others originates from officials, media outlets or individuals which are pleading for help or offering assistance.

Twitter suggestions of who to follow and/or complete lists compiled for a specific event will get published as well as links to other useful websites (Google disaster response , etc)

Please note that the 'design' of this blog will be kept as simple as possible in order to reduce load for people who have only access to weak Internet connection. So don't expect fancy, modern, stylish graphics or design. Blog entries with content of other social media will get copied: One simple prioritized blog entry with text only and another one displaying full tweets. There have been difficulties with some browsers and such 'reposts' of embedded tweets, so perhaps better not expect too much or just use 'plain text' version. Of course there will be no ads displayed on this blog. For power conserving reasons of your display device running on batteries, the background is pitch black.

Perhaps also an idea for other websites to free those websites intended for use during disasters of unnecessary traffic invoked by various cross-links to other (advertisement, tracking) websites. Just as for instance the Wall Street Journal removed their paywall during Hurricane Sandy.

Content here will get automatically posted on twitter using hashtags and/or direct messaging to people or organizations who request this information. So headlines can contain '#' and '@'.
If you want to contact me (suggestions, corrections, criticism,whatever)please use Twitter for first contact, since this is the only medium monitored more frequently (perhaps daily)

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