Tech community pitches in on Katrina relief effort

The tech community is rallying around victims of Hurricane Katrina, offering technical assistance, aiding the homeless and gathering relief donations.

Hurricane Katrina came ashore along the Gulf Coast early on Monday, wreaking havoc on Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama with heavy rains and 145mph winds. Thousands are feared dead in the wake of what could be the deadliest natural disaster in the US in nearly a century.

Mobile phone giant Sprint Nextel announced on Tuesday that it would dispatch nearly two dozen specialty vehicles to coordinate the recovery effort and restore communications services. The deployment will include two large camper vans plus several other support vehicles, including five satellite cells on light trucks, to aid with restoration of government and emergency services. The Emergency Response Team will come equipped with 3,000 Nextel Walkie Talkie handsets for those emergency services customers and organisations, the company said.

Qwest Communications said it will send 2,000 long-distance calling cards so those affected could call loved ones. The company also said it has given the Red Cross $230,000 to help train responders.

Cable giant Comcast said it will donate $10m worth of advertising time for public service announcements related to hurricane relief.

Meanwhile, Americans have donated millions to the relief effort. The American Red Cross said it has raised $21m, with nearly $15m of that coming from individual donations collected through its Web site.

Some Web giants are pitching in with the fundraising as well. In the same way it collected donations for tsunami victims, Amazon is letting its users donate to the American Red Cross using its 1-click payment system. Web auctioneer eBay is working with MissionFish.org, a nonprofit organisation that allows eBay users to buy and sell items, with the proceeds going to disaster relief.

Meanwhile, free community Web site Craigslist is providing resources to victims of the hurricanes. The site is hosting pages listing volunteer opportunities and offers, pleas for information on loved ones, and free temporary housing for those left homeless by the hurricane. Hundreds of people from around the country are offering accommodation on the New Orleans Craigslist site.