#ChennaiRainsHelp: Social media proves to be a boon for needy people; NRIs step in to offer help

Chennai, Dec 3: At a time when Tamil Nadu is struggling to battle with heavy rains and floods, the social media has proved to be a major helping tool.

Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and mobile messaging app WhatsApp are flooded with all the best possible help, one can provide on this platform.

Many people are going out of the way to extend an helping hand to the stranded people in Chennai and other rain-ravaged parts of the marooned southern state.

Here are some sites that are relentlessly making efforts to reach out to the stranded people in Tamil Nadu:

chennairains.org: The site has been started by good samaritan volunteers to offer instant help to the needy.

Chennai Cares has launched Chennai Rain Relief 2015 - CRR community page on Facebook and on Twitter.

Crowdfunding site gofundme.com has started raising funds for Chennai slums.

$43,900 has already been raised by 924 people in 9 days. The initiative was created by Premkumar Chinnaraj on Nov 23, 2015.

Another samaritan Sharat Ganesh, a professional working in San Jose, USA, whose entire family is presently in Chennai, has started fund-raising on SUPPORT CHENNAI RELIEF EFFORTS page on gofundme.com. In 15 hours, he has manage to raise $9,370 by 184 people.

While thanking people for the overwhelming response, Ganesh, wrote, "Genuinely overwhelmed by the amazing response, and the collective human spirit shown by everyone. Every single dollar will go towards rehabilitation efforts in Chennai. I will close the campaign in three days, and distribute evenly to the organizations mentioned below.

I am yet again increasing the fundraising goal to an ambitious $20,000 within 3 days. Let us keep at it.

Gofundme charges 8% of the total amount for processing fee which I will be covering personally to make sure all your donations are paid in full to the heroes working on the ground."

Click here if you Need Aid/ Relief Material

Helpful links for Chennaites

#ChennaiRainsHelp In one tweet, searchable interface:Accommodation: https://t.co/LYOL0BwC03Help Nos.: https://t.co/DbmLOHNT1NPls RT.

— krtgrphr (@krtgrphr) December 2, 2015

15 Civil Services Officers working 24*7 passing information from the ones in need to the rescue teams. Phone:08040001000 Whatsapp:9880655555

— Abhishek (@abhi_sn) December 3, 2015

Okay, Facebook has activated the Safety Check for #ChennaiFloods -- please use the tool. #ChennaiRainsHelp

— krtgrphr (@krtgrphr) December 3, 2015

Write down all the phone numbers and keep. That's what we did during Phailin. Online help is fine, but if there's no electricity for 3 days?

— Roshni (@roshnimo) December 1, 2015

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