MANILA- As part of Google’s Public Alerts, launched last year in the Philippines, the internet giant launched Flood Alerts to provide timely information during tropical cyclones to help Filipinos identify flood risk areas.
It will automatically notify users with flood advisories based on detected location in high-risk areas. The alerts will appear on Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Now, and can also be accessed through the Google Public Alerts page on www.google.org/publicalerts. The data comes from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Flood Alerts is part of Google Crisis Response, which seeks to make critical information more accessible around natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Recognizing that people turn to the Internet in crises, this includes making emergency alerts, news updates and donation opportunities visible through Google’s web properties.
“Preparation is key. Google recognizes that one of the best ways to reach people is by using online tools that make critical information, like flood alerts, available to them in the most immediate way possible,” said Gail Tan, head of communications and public affairs of Google Philippines.
“Publishing PAGASA flood information on the Google Public Alerts platform enables us to reach many more members of the community at critical times. This complements our existing communications channels, enabling us to further protect lives, livelihoods and reduce damage to properties together by making potentially life-saving information more widely available,” said Vicente B. Malano, Acting Administrator of PAGASA.
