As the extent of the devastation brought by typhoon “Ondoy” began to emerge, search giant Google has created a situational map where users can spot the areas needed for relief operations and other relevant information.

With social networking and video-sharing sites such as Facebook and YouTube making tremendous contributions to the dissemination of vital information, Google has decided to join to fray as well with this site: www.google.com.ph/landing/typhoon-ondoy.html.

Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) dumped a month’s worth of rain in just a single day on Saturday, triggering the worst flooding the country has seen in recent memory.

A Google statement said the site, which is also intended to update overseas Filipinos on relief efforts, is maintained by Google volunteers around the world who have been working the last few days to compile information about the disaster.

The site contains a map of flood updates and persons needing rescue, the latest news from local media sources, a list of verified donation sites, and emergency hotlines.

It is also linked from Google.com.ph to give easy access to the 25 million Internet users in the Philippines and many more around the world, the company said.

“Our effort is but one of many being organized by countless individuals and organizations across the country in the spirit of bayanihan, to help those affected by this disaster as quickly and as comprehensively as possible,” the Google statement said.