Earthquake map helping thousands of Cantabs

More than 170,000 people have viewed the Google Map www.mapquake.co.nz which shows which services and businesses are operating in Canterbury after last Saturday’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake. Anyone can add information to the map and it now contains hundreds of points of interest. Map creator, Dave Knight, has also created a Google Group called Canterbury Earthquake so people can post comments, offers of help or requests for help online. The Google Group is not moderated and can be found at www.groups.google.com where users simply search for Canterbury Earthquake.

“I’ve been inundated with positive feedback about the map, but I’ve also had an overwhelming number of emails from people asking for more information, so I’ve added an online notice board which can be accessed via Google Groups,” says Mr Knight. Hopefully we will be able to have the Google Group accessed from www.mapquake.co.nz within the next few hours.

“I’ve had people asking how they can help the earthquake victims - and others asking how they can get help,” he says. “And businesses re-opening are keen to spread the word that they are up and running. One business owner who emailed me has reported a 90% drop in custom this week, and says she is only four weeks away from having to close down permanently. It is vital these kinds of businesses can continue to trade for the economic wellbeing of the community - and the personal well being of the staff and owners.

“The Google Group is a public access page where people can post comments or requests. Like the map, all you need to be able to use it is a Google account. It’s free and it’s easy to use. “

Mr Knight says people from Google in the United States have approached him to ask how their software is performing and if he can suggest any way it can be improved.

“I’m blown away by the response we’ve had to this initiative,” says Mr Knight. “It just goes to show how a few of people with a small idea can make a big difference by using the internet in a time of crisis. And these maps are a fantastic tool because they illustrate so much information quickly.”

This initiative will continue to be more useful as more and more people on the ground upload information.

ENDS

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