If only the US Federal Emergency Management Agency's Michael Brown had tried this.
Bihar Disaster Management Minister Nitish Mishra fielded hundreds of mobile phone calls after publicizing his phone number in newspapers and on TV for those needing to contact the organization. According to the India Times, Mishra received on average 200 calls daily from marooned people for rescue boats or emergency food drops to rooftops.
'Many marooned people sent text messages to local authorities from rooftops of flooded buildings to rescue them,' Mishra said. This flood, one of the worst in 50 years, has seen a new wrinkle, villagers contacting administrators by mobile phone for help and to contact family members living elsewhere.