

In California, a team from the recently minted Google Earth program launched into action, creating real-time imagery overlays of heavily affected areas on top of its existing 3D globe platform. In the absence of traditional situational awareness, responders were operating blind. Hurricane victims dialed 911 for urgent help at specific street addresses, but it was impossible for first responders to find them without precise GPS coordinates-street signs and house numbers were invisible beneath the deluge. Navy, Coast Guard, and other federal relief groups deployed helicopter teams to rescue people stranded in New Orleans without the resources to escape or survive in their homes. According to the National Hurricane Center, it was the deadliest hurricane since 1928, claiming at least 1,800 lives and causing more than $108 billion in damages.

That's no reason not to try it out, though, especially since it's free, and it does run smoothly, even if you can't always tell exactly what you're clicking on.In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast of the United States, bursting levees throughout Louisiana and Mississippi and submerging the streets of south Florida. Google Earth gives you a lot of fun information to play with, but it could benefit from a bit of an interface upgrade. This makes searching for specific features or information difficult. There are many different types of icons denoting various kinds of features all over the map, and while there is a key provided, the icons are so small that it's tough to tell them apart most of the time. ConsĪwkward navigation: When you're poking around, it's sometimes hard to know what you're clicking on other than photos. Lots of info: In addition to the images, which are excellent, this app also provides tons of information on the people, culture, and history of an area.

It's easy to get lost for hours clicking around to view images of different places and see how people live in all parts of the world. Prosįun dynamic: With this program, you can literally spin the globe and let your finger land on any random spot to decide where to explore next. Whether you have a particular destination in mind, or you just want to poke around and see what it's like to live in different areas, this app has tons to offer. Google Earth is a planetary exploration tool that lets you take a virtual trip to anywhere in the world, with tons of photos, information, and other types of interactive displays you can explore.
