Govt. takes to social networking websites to aid relief operations

The State government is using the social media to collate data pertaining to the cyclone damage and mobilise relief for the cyclone-affected population.

The government has also launched a portal www.hudhud.ap.gov.in to assess the damage caused by Hudhud cyclone. The portal will facilitate collection and analysis of damages and would be used by all departments. It would connect to the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) website on HudhudAP.

People can send pictures to the web portal through Whatsapp to these numbers: 7893699024, 8978208690, 8978213563 and 9618536805.

In addition to teams of officials working round-the-clock in affected areas, the government has mobilised volunteers and donors through social media networks like Facebook and Twitter to help the official machinery in restoring normalcy at the earliest and to collect aid for the victims.

A volunteers’ network has been created by publicising about it on the State government’s Facebook and Twitter handles. Similarly, the AP Disaster Management page on Facebook is receiving tremendous response.

This online network has helped the government galvanise support from volunteers in Hyderabad and other areas who are willing to help.

A team monitoring the social media, under the supervision of Advisor (Communications) to the State government has been noting down grievances and sending them to the on-ground official teams.

The Vizag Collector has informed the social media team members that the free relief material can be dropped at Vizag airport while material from other places can be sent to the Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada.

Students of local universities are playing a pivotal role in the relief operations. The relief material received includes biscuits, bread, bun, medicines, towels, batteries, candles, bed sheets, sanitary napkins and chlorine tablets among other things.