10,000 people marked safe on Facebook safety tool

New Delhi, May 15: Facebook on Tuesday said nearly 10,000 people have marked themselves safe till now, using the social network’s “Safety Check” feature that was activated on Monday following storms across India. Dust storms, hail and lightning claimed 53 lives in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Delhi, according to a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) report.

To help its users during disasters, Facebook created a Crisis Response Centre as a hub of information about recent crises. The centre’s Safety Check tool allows people to notify their family and friends that they are safe. Following storms across India, Facebook activated the “Safety Check” feature on Monday. The crisis response tool, which is activated when a lot of people in an affected area post about an incident, can also help users check to see if their friends in an affected area are safe too. This feature from the social media giant has been used during natural calamities and terrorists attacks across the world. A day after Delhi saw a severe dust storm and winds at 107 kmph killing two people here, the national capital on Monday saw a calm day. The Met office predicts storm and winds of less severity for 48 hours starting Tuesday. (IANS)