As typhoon hit, Filipinos responded on social media

News updates, calls for rescue, and pledges to help travel instantly during disaster

You’ve either heard or read about the typhoon that hit the Philippines’ capital recently. The typhoon brought heavy rainfall, causing floods all over Manila, killing more than 240 people and leaving almost 500,000 families homeless.

The death toll could have been higher were it not for the wealth of information, calls for help and communication assistance put forth by Filipinos through social media. Twitter, Google Docs, Facebook, blogs and other tools were heavily used to call for rescue, receive donations and get updates. Here’s a closer look:

Twitter

Twitter tops the list of social tools used by many Filipinos to disseminate information during the tragic event. Flood victims trapped on rooftops or on upper floors of their houses called friends and loved ones to rescue them or to say they were safe.