- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:06 05:29 12:18 15:42 19:02 20:25
A policeman walks past a television journalist reporting from the site of an explosion near the Dadar area of Mumbai. (REUTERS)
With three serial bombs rocking India’s commercial capital Mumbai yesterday, denizens of the city and those concerned across the globe came together to provide practical and emotional support through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and logistical and tactical support through Google Docs spreadsheets.
The telephone infrastructure of the city reportedly crumbled under the increased load of phone calls by anxious family members trying to reach out to those that were out of their homes at the time of the blasts, as well as those outside the city trying to reach their friends and relatives in Mumbai after the news of the blasts spread throughout India and across the world.
Twitter and Facebook updates were filled with users posting not only information for helplines but also offering help. Hashtags for #needhelp and #Here2Help were created almost immediately for those injured and in need of help, and for looking for a ride back home as public transport got choked. Online users residing close to the sites of the blast used the online media to offer shelter to other users that were still commuting.
Beyond Twitter and Facebook updates, a Google spreadsheet was created by a Twitter user in Delhi. The spreadsheet contains information of Mumbai and non-Mumbai residents offering help as well as asking for help with their contact information and the nature of help that can be offered or is needed.
The spreadsheet is spilt into five different categories: # here2help, #needhelp, blood group, missing, and injured. According to a report on Mashable, phone numbers are listed for official help locations, such as blood banks and the police control room. People who have contributed to the Doc have offered help such as food and shelter. Some Mumbai residents have offered blood and generous donations.
There are currently 250 entries, most of which are users offering help. A map of live tweets can also be found on Google Maps. This doesn’t seem to be updated in real time, however, it can be used to find users in the areas of the blasts.
With Indians comprising about half of the UAE’s population, it is no surprise that #Mumbaiblasts is still the top Twitter trend in the UAE today.
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