With the damage caused by the double earthquake in Turkey, both residents and first responders have been aggressive in turning to different technologies to help those still trapped in the debris and to assist in the recovery. While the adoption of experimental technologies in disaster recovery isn’t new, the magnitude of the damage from the earthquake has amplified the opportunities for them to display their worth and make a difference. In particular, social media and open source websites have offered hope for many affected, given them methods to communicate with others, or seek aid, according to an article published on The World Economic Forum website.
Of particular note in the rescue and recovery effort, according to Aytug Goksu
Community Lead, Regional Strategies, Europe, World Economic Forum and Busra Kamiloglu, Community Champion in Global Shapers Community for Turkiye, Azerbaijan and Israel, Customer Success Manager at Microsoft, have been:
- The use of social media for sharing information, including the locations of those trapped and in need of immediate assistance
- A tool from Meta that allowed people to let those in their networks know that they’re safe
- The deployment of a WhatsApp helpline by search and rescue teams to share information about volunteer opportunities
- The rapid development of open-source crisis assistance websites, to share data on blood donations, food and clothing distribution, rescue services, and ways to match those in need of immediate aid with those having the skills to help
- Microsoft Turkiye opening up their technologies to those operating in the disaster area, including satellite imagery showing the detailed extent of the damage
While much of the work in recovery is still being driven by those operating on the ground, the opening of these technologies has helped to better match available resources to immediate need.
Source:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/02/turkiye-syria-earthquake-ai-emerging-tech-relief-efforts/
