Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines over a week ago, leaving at least 3,000-4,000 dead and disrupting the lives of roughly 13 million people, according to various reports. In the wake of this tragedy, digital humanitarians around the world have mobilized to help relief workers respond to the disaster more quickly and efficiently.
Patrick Meier, a self-described developer of next-generation humanitarian technologies, has made this possible through the creation of tools such as MicroMappers, which enables volunteers around the globe to sort and categorize online data from tweets to uploaded photos. The end result is a series of satellite maps, updated in real time, that aid agencies can use to help plan their relief efforts.
Traditionally, the United Nations takes five to seven days to conduct a rapid assessment following a disaster of this magnitude. The work of digital humanitarians has helped cut the number of days down to two. Meier adds that "It definitely helps and makes a big difference that there are so many
mobile phones in the Philippines. In addition, Filipinos are avid and
sophisticated social media users, which means that the social media
content posted online during disasters tends to be rich and useful."
The rise of digital media and crowdsourced information represents a "fundamental shift in power" away from the headquarters of aid agencies. It's up to aid agencies to respond accordingly and adapt to the new wave of digital innovation in the 21st century.
Sources:
http://techland.time.com/2013/11/13/typhoon-haiyan-how-technology-is-changing-disaster-response/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/11/131108-typhoon-haiyan-philippines-crisis-mapping/
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