Facebook Launches 'Safety Check' Feature For Nepal Earthquake Victims

By Prateek
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At a time when Nepal and parts of India have been convulsed by a devastating earthquake, modern web technology is turning out to be a boon as distressed family members are able to locate their loved ones.

Facebook Launches 'Safety Check' Feature For Nepal Earthquake Victims

Social media site Facebook has started a 'Safety Check' feature for users stranded in Nepal or any of the other affected zones, following a massive earthquake near Kathmandu that rocked the subcontinent on Saturday.

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For instance, members of one Himmatramka family residing in Birgunj in Nepal marked themselves safe on Facebook. "Our relatives back in India were worried about our safety. So, we marked ourselves safe to inform them," said Nitesh Himmatramka.

In a post on Facebook on Sunday, Zuckerberg said the feature is a simple and quick way to reach out to worried family and friends. "It's a simple way to let family and friends know you're okay," 30-year-old Zuckerberg said.

Facebook Launches 'Safety Check' Feature For Nepal Earthquake Victims

The Safety Check feature also allows users to check on other friends who might be stranded in the disaster zone.

The idea to launch such an app came after the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, which had caused massive devastation in the country as millions of people had little clue about the whereabouts of their kin for weeks.

The technology gathers information from the families and affected individuals, enabling them to upload information and locate their kin. The technology is available in English and Nepali.

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So far, more than 2200 people are feared dead, after the earthquake struck a Kathmandu Valley and unleashed an avalanche on Mount Everest that caught climbers in a death trap.

A second large aftershock measuring 6.7 on the Richter's scale struck the region today and triggered further avalanches in the area.

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