Queensland Police's use of Twitter during recent floods has been lauded by a new report that also says access to technology is as vital as food and water when disaster strikes.
The 2013 disaster report said the rapid spread of technology is changing humanitarian action and enabling communities affected by disasters to send requests and provide critical information.
It cited the Queensland Police's use of social media to debunk "misinformation" through the use of a #Mythbuster hashtag as an effective means of stopping the spread of rumours.
The police tagged tweets containing false or misleading information with the #Mythbuster tag during the past two years of floods, the 2013 Red Cross World Disasters Report said.
The report quoted examples such as reports of fuel shortages in Brisbane and that the Wivenhoe Dam was about to collapse as myths that were successfully debunked.
"Social networks based on family, friendship, professional and/or religious ties ... serve as a crucial dissemination channel," the report said.
Australian Red Cross CEO Robert Tickner said the report showed technologies like early warning systems and access to radios and mobile phones can mean the difference between life and death.
"New technologies offer exciting opportunities to save lives and reduce the impact of disasters around the world and in Australia," Mr Tickner said.
Red Cross Secretary General Bekele Geleta said in the Philippines the government created and promoted the use of a Twitter hashtag #PabloPH to help people prepare for Typhoon Pablo.
Tweets were later mapped to provide the United Nations with early damage assessment information.
"This is a trend ... humanitarians must embrace even support by recognising access to communication and information as a basic need and priority alongside search and rescue, protection, health, food, water or shelter," Mr Geleta said.
The report also found fewer people died or were affected by disasters in 2012 than in any other year in the past decade.
In Australia, 79 people were killed by disasters in 2012 and 16,000 were affected by them.
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