When #KeralaFloods came, people turned to Twitter

From government agencies to relief organisations to Bollywood actors and cricket stars, Twitter was the place in India to find out what was happening with the #Keralafloods. More than 2.62 million Tweets were shared across India and around the world on the #Keralafloods and the conversations continue to flow.

Although rains have eased in Kerala offering some respite, the huge task of cleaning up from the worst flooding in 100 years must begin. Tens of thousands are still living in relief camps, and many still remain cut off and in need of help.

If you need help or want to find out what’s happening with the #Keralafloods relief effort, take note of the tips below:

1. Do NOT spread unverified messages received via social media channels, private group chats, or SMS. They can cause a lot of confusion and wasted effort.
2. Turn on push notifications for key accounts coordinating rescue efforts to ensure you don’t miss important Tweets (National Disaster Management Authority@ndmaindia, Indian Army @adgpi, Indian Navy @indiannavy, Indian Coast Guard @IndiaCoastGuard, Rapid Response @RapidResponse, National Disaster Response Force @NDRFHQ, CMO Kerala @CMOKerala)
3. Tweet with a clear Call-to-Action. Clearly state how people can help - either by donating money, donating food or essential supplies, or by Retweeting
4. After a rescue or relief Tweet has been addressed, it’s generally a good practice to Retweet your own Tweet with an update saying a particular rescue has been conducted and thank the people who did it.
5. Use the right hashtags for the rescue effort (#Keralafloods #RebuildKerala)