Disaster alerts now available via Google Maps

PanARMENIAN.Net - People looking for information on a natural disaster or other emergency anywhere in the world can now stay abreast of the latest details courtesy of Google Maps, CNET reports.

The new Public Alerts page aims to keep users informed of emergency alerts for floods, tornadoes, winter storms and other dangers.

The idea is tell what's happening, when and where the disaster may hit, how severe it will be, and what resources are around to help people.

Users can search for a specific item by going directly to Google Maps and typing the name and location of the potential disaster. For example, typing "winter storm alaska" displays "Winter Storm Warning in Northern Alaska" at the top of the search results with a "more info" link that can be clicked on to view the full details.

Users can also go directly to the Public Alerts page to view of a list of current emergency warnings throughout the world. Each warning is displayed on the map as a hotspot.

Since this is Google's first attempt at providing this type of emergency information, the company is asking users to respond with any suggestions by clicking on the "Provide feedback" link at the bottom of the Public Alerts page.