Google is helping out the world in times of crisis by launching a new project called Google People Finder. If there is a crisis in your area, Google People finder will help you report a person or persons missing. Think of this as an Internet-based Red Cross. From here anyone with any information can add it to the missing person stream.
Now how is this more that the what the Red Cross does? The Red Cross only keeps a database of Americans names. So for the current crisis in the Philippines, Google would be help out more than the Red Cross in terms of finding people and reconnecting them with their loved ones. Really this is just a great tool that will go far in the aide of search and rescue during times of crisis.
You can go and check out Google People Finder page here. Or you can view a live peoples page for the crisis in the Philippines here. This will help out tremendously with the thousands stranded due to high waters and help the families of the people who have died to gain closure. You can help out by embedding the projects API into your existing website. They have an easy how-to in the FAQ section of the people finder site.