Google tool helps find Christchurch earthquake victims

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A 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook up the city of Christchurch, New Zealand and left many in fear of what may have happened to the loved ones they've been unable to reach. Google is hoping to gradually ease some of that fear by providing a tool designed to help individuals share and gather information about those missing after this disaster.

The Google Person Finder is a free, simple-to-use tool which was dreamt up after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. All someone needs to do is enter as much of a person's name as he or she knows and Google will provide any related information — including last known location, physical descriptions, last reported status and messages left by those searching for the individual.

Those seeking to add information to the database will need to provide the full name of the individual they've got information about as well as their own names and e-mail addresses.

So far the database appears to be tracking over 5,000 records and we suggest that you add to those records if you have any valid information on the whereabouts or status of any individual thought to be missing in the Christchurch disaster.

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Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's pretty obsessed with Twitter, but you should like her on Facebook anyway.