Attention, danger: 5 potentially life-saving Google Maps symbols that you should know

Google Maps not only helps navigate, but can also warn of dangerous situations. Whether at home or on vacation: If certain symbols are displayed on your card app, caution is advised.

The tool works with small symbols that you can tap to get more information.

People are often surprised by natural disasters - the earlier they are informed about these and other dangers, the better.

We have listed the 5 MAPS symbols for you that show you acute dangers and disasters. You can save your life at home as on vacation.

1. In the incident

What exactly the expressionincidentmeans that Google itself does not provide any information. However, this marks the dangers of natural disasters.

An incident that is not further specified is to be recognized with oneExclamation mark in a red circle.

Link toReddit content

Reddit user Gatersya wrote that a warning on Google Maps helped him to keep Texas away from a shootout in Austin in 2021.

People have already been warned of the incident symbol in terrorist attacks in Germany.

2. Forest fires and bush fires

Forest fires (or bush fires) are with aFlame symbol or a small red circledisplayed. The red border shows the approximately affected area, which should definitely be avoided.

Link toReddit content

Google is particularly progressive when warning of such fires. SinceSommer 2024the limits of the forests concerned are recorded using satellite images and a deep learning model.

This is how you see current details on forest and bush fires worldwide

1. Go on Google Maps.
2. Tap the flat symbol in the top right corner
3. Taps underCard detailsonFloor fires.
4. Now you can see current fire all over the world.

3. Flood

Floods are in Google Maps with aWave symbol in a red circlemarked.

Even if the floods are only specified here as small points,GoogleEven that that not marked positions are therefore not necessarily to be classified as safe.

With flooding, it is simply difficult to use satellite images to decide what is flooded.

The catastrophe in Ahr Valley 2021 has also shown how unexpected people can be surprised by floods. Google offers an additional tool for this:

ItGoogle Floodhubyou can visit the browser. Here you can see a world map with current flooding warnings. This can be helpful at home and on vacation.

4. Earthquake

The earthquake warning symbol is a line thatRash of a seismographer needlerepresent. The symbol shows the approximate epicenter of the earthquake, the red zone the affected area.

Link toReddit content

5. Hurricanes and typhoon

There can also be hurricanes in Europe, Taifune are tropical hurricanes.
Hurricane and typhoon can spread to hurricose.

All three storms mark Google Maps with oneInterior in a red circle.

Link toReddit content

Google Maps constantly expands its range of early warning systems and more precisely recording natural disasters and dangers. This can be a decisive help both on vacation and at home.

What do you think about it? Have you ever been informed by Google Maps about a dangerous situation? Or have we forgotten an important point? Write us your thoughts and experiences in the comments!