Twitter has unveiled a new feature to help users in times of crisis like a natural disaster.The social media outlet’s new ‘Lifeline’ feature has just launched in Japan.It will allow users there to find critical information when they need it the most.In a blog post, Jinen Kamdar, a Twitter product manager, likened the service to an emergency hotline.With Lifeline, people can search for their postcode on twitter.com, and find details from other tweeters.For example, during an earthquake in the Aobadai district of Yokohama, residents can find timely accounts — people sharing updates from the district, the city, and the government. Local media and utility companies using Twitter can also provide information. Lifeline also allows Japanese users to receive these notification on their mobile devices.Mr Kamdar said the company has worked with local and regional governments, to "surface the best, most relevant accounts" in several postcodes.Japan, of course, was hit with a devastating earthquake and tsunami last year. Services like Twitter and Google's people finder helped connect residents in the aftermath of the disaster."Since Twitter often becomes a de facto lifeline during crises everywhere, we hope to eventually expand this functionality to more locations around the world," Mr Kamdar said.