(Image Source: Frugal Cafe)

 
BY ORKIDE IZCI
ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN


 
Social Media is saving lives in Turkey.  After a devastating 7.2 earthquake - Twitter and Facebook are being used to locate victims.

CNN has an interview with a Turkish television host who describes the situation,

“Twitter has worked well. It has been the most effective social web site in terms of organizing help. Several earthquake victims were found and rescued thanks to the post on Twitter. This is very important, I think. It gives local news about what exactly is needed where.”


Sunday’s earthquake killed at least 534 people in Van, Turkey.  And the number is still rising. CBS reminds us of how it started.

“The ground shook for 30 seconds. The quake registered 7.2 on the scale -- strong enough to cause serious damage. It was felt over an area of 100 square miles. It was shallow enough about 15 miles below the surface to cause the maximum casualties and panic among the local residents.”

In the aftermath, social media is being used several ways. It’s helping rescue people from the rubbles, organizing different aid campaigns and improving overall communication. The Globe and Mail provides evidence.

“Trapped under the rubble after an earthquake in eastern Turkey, two teenagers called for help in a way that reflects how modernity has transformed even the furthest reaches of this country: they tweeted. Twitter has a location feature that allows users to pinpoint their exact co-ordinates. Within two hours, a search team had extracted the young men from a collapsed building.”


 
Some organizations called for volunteers on Twitter. Meanwhile, a journalist launched a campaign for the earthquake victims, “My house is your house.” The Guardian has more.

“Journalist, Ahmet Tezcan – to his 22,000 Twitter followers that those willing to offer accommodation to quake victims could send him an email. He used my home is your home, Van – as a Twitter hashtag.”

Although social media IS saving lives, TIME reports that Van needs more than social media to face the aftermath of the disaster.

“Social media is not, of course, a substitute for the long-term and difficult work that undoubtedly lies ahead in Van where thousands are now homeless and winter is fast encroaching. One telling tweet asked for Kurdish-speaking volunteer psychologists (the region is largely Kurdish) to get in touch. Nor should it make us complacent as to the impact of our efforts. But as a reminder of what human kindness can achieve, it too has its place.”

On Wednesday, an emotional text message sent from an earthquake victim to the people who helped him became a trending topic. It read, “One day if you fall, I’ll pick you up too.”  


Transcript by Newsy.
 

World News: Social Media Saves Lives in Turkey

Social Media Saves Lives in Turkey

October 27, 2011
(2:46)
In the aftermath of Turkey's 7.2 magnitude earthquake, survivors and rescuers used social media to save more lives.
   
TRANSCRIPT

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