Google Earth focuses on Haiti devastation

SAN FRANCISCO - Google has updated its Google Earth application to provide crisis responders with up-to-date images of the devastation in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, the web search giant said Thursday.

The new images were taken on Wednesday, Google said in a blog posting and could be helpful to aid organizations trying to assess the damage to the region.

Available as a new downloadable layer on Google Earth, the new images give a bird’s eye view of the destruction, showing sites like the National Palace and the Sylvia Cator Stadium strewn with debris.

Google said that it was working with its satellite partners to continually update the images of Haiti.