Google: Kerala flood victims can share location even if offline

New Delhi, Aug 19 :The Tech giant Google has announced on Saturday that, Even when people in flood-hit Kerala are offline, they can use their Android smartphones or tablets to generate and share the "plus code" of their exact location, which can pinpoint their whereabouts and make it easier for rescue workers to reach them.

Users can share their plus codes over a voice call or an SMS.

A plus code includes six or seven letters and numbers, and a town or city. To find the plus code for a place on an Android phone or tablet, users need to open the Google Maps app and touch and hold a place to drop a pin on Google Maps.

They then need to tap the address or description at the bottom and scroll down to find the plus code.

Plus codes work just like street addresses. When an address is not available, one can use a plus code to find or share a place on Google Maps.

To search for a place using a plus code, all the rescuers or family members of people stuck in the floods need to do is type the plus code at the search box of the Google Maps app.

Twitter earlier this month said that in flood situations when communication services are limited and Internet connectivity is poor, using the data-friendly "Twitter Lite" can help people connect easily with government agencies, relief organizations, media, and volunteers.

One can use hashtags such as #KeralaFloods, #KeralaFloods2018 on Twitter to find information regarding relief operations, such as locations of relief centers.

Facebook is updating information about the flood situation in Kerala in its Crisis Response Page. The social networking giant last week activated the "Safety Check" tool that allows users to indicate whether they are safe or not.

About 7,000 people have been saved so far, but some 6,000 are still awaiting rescue, say officials.

Ten columns of the Army and 10 teams of Engineering Task Force, comprising 790 personnel, have been deployed in the state. 82 teams of the Navy, 42 of the Coast Guard have also been deployed along with five Companies of paramilitary troops for rescue and relief operations.