Twitter, NDRF launch dedicated search for disaster relief in India

New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) Twitter on Wednesday announced a partnership with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in India to expand its efforts towards handling disaster situations, with launching a dedicated search prompt to help people stay updated with the latest information around disaster relief and preparedness efforts.

Every time someone searches for certain keywords associated with disaster relief, a prompt will direct them to the relevant information and sources of help available on Twitter.

This is an expansion of Twitter's #ThereIsHelp prompt, which was specifically put in place for the public to find clear, credible information focusing on disaster preparedness and emergencies

The search prompt will be available on iOS, Android, and on mobile.twitter.com in India, in both English and Hindi languages.

"Through the launch of this search prompt and our collaboration with Twitter, we are optimistic about bringing authentic and credible information to the fore to promote open public communication, in times when it is needed the most," SN Pradhan, Director General, NDRF, said in a statement.

The feature will be reviewed at regular intervals by the Twitter team to ensure that all related keywords generate the proactive search prompt.

"The dedicated search prompt will ensure there is uninterrupted access to relevant and authoritative information, such as important updates on critical transit and utility outages, efforts to oversee crowd management and establish direct access between the affected areas and the rescue teams," said Mahima Kaul, Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia, Twitter.

Some of the search keywords include #cyclone, #DisasterRelief, #earthquake, #flood, #floods, #heavyrainfall, #hurricane, #Landslides, #NDMA, #NDRF, #rain, #rainfall, #SDRF, #storm, #thunderstorm and #tsunami.

The search prompt will also generate a list of government agencies working towards disaster response and relief in India, so people looking for support can identify and establish contact with credible authorities.

--IANS

bu/na