Chennai floods: Facebook activates Safety Check feature as death toll rises over 300

Google has also activated a resource page that gives people access to crowdsourced information about affected areas

In this photograph taken on December 2, 2015, Indian people wade through floodwaters in Chennai (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Facebook has activated its Safety Check feature following the huge disruption and deadly floods caused by flooding in Chennai.

The site is now allowing people who are in the affected area of eastern India to tell friends that they are safe, and for people to check where they are.

Google has also launched a page of resources for people affected by the destruction.

The death toll from the floods has already reached over 300 and is expected to rise, according to local reports. Many more people have been displaced by the floods, which have been caused by torrential rain that is set to continue.

Facebook’s safety check page allows people to mark themselves safe if they are in the affected area, see all friends that have done so, and gives a short explanation of what is happening. It also gives emergency services information for anyone who might be affected.

“Heavy rain has caused severe flooding in the Indian city of Chennai and surrounding areas,” Facebook’s page explains. “This is an ongoing situation. The rain is expected to continue for several more days.”

Facebook has activated the feature for natural disasters like the Chennai floods a number of times.

But it became controversial when it was turned on after the Paris attacks, which was the first time that it had been used for a disaster caused by humans. The site then promised that it would be used in more situations.

Google’s similar site offers a selection of resources, including emergency numbers, ways of donating and crowdsourcing tools such as a map of flooded areas and streets.