New York City crowdsources Hurricane Irene storm damage
Storm damage maps can be very useful in pinpointing where severe weather is heading, and New York City residents are using that same idea to help direct cleanup crews and emergency responders.
Over the weekend the city launched a new mapping project where residents can report downed trees, powerlines, debris and power outages. It’s a crowdsourcing endeavor that works with Google Maps, and even with no electricity more than a couple hundred people are using social media to report problem areas. Check out the real-time NYC Severe Weather Crowdmap to see where crews are heading this week.
The city already has a similar crowdsourcing project available online for snow removal, but this map takes crowdsourcing to the next step!