Monday, February 26, 2018

Communicators turn to Twitter to talk tornados, flooding

Some crises are self-inflicted; others occur naturally.

After a long period without tornadoes, the deadly wind funnels returned to the central U.S., causing damage to property and injuring people.

The National Weather Service in Nashville tweeted that a tornado had touched down in the nearby town of Clarksville, and retweeted pictures of leveled homes.

Other shared updates about downed trees over power lines and other hazards:

During the storm, officials tweeted maps of affected areas, as well as using sirens and other response systems:

A leaky roof at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville caused a halt to a basketball game, and one girl was sent to the hospital after being struck by debris. The team’s Twitter account advised fans to take shelter:

Along the Ohio River, flooding has sent many communicators scrambling to warn the public to stay away from the rising waters.

Not everyone heeded the warning:

Many pictures of underwater streets and structures are showing up on social media:

The Cincinnati Enquirer shared these ways people should take precautions during the flooding:

  • Commuting: Officials advised motorists to check on the status of roads to ensure they are open and safe to travel. They also cautioned that leftover debris and sludge can pose a hazard on roads even after water has receded.
  • Documenting damage: Hamilton County officials also urged to document the extent of damage to their homes, vehicles or other property to prepare for the assessment of damages and for any insurance or other claims they may file.
  • Be aware of aid possibilities: Once the waters retreat, local officials will assess whether there is enough uninsured damage to public facilities to merit federal or state assistance. Based on whether those benchmarks are triggered, residents may also become eligible for federal or other aid for losses not covered by insurance.

Cincinnati police used Twitter to announce road closings due to rising water:

The National Weather service offered this chart:

Others tweeted their state of emergency announcements:

Drones enabled some enterprising communicators to grab striking photos of the damage:

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from PR Daily News Feed http://ift.tt/2HP1GY7
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