Facebook has implemented a feature to help track people after natural disasters and it was launched late last night in order to help people connect with their friends and family after the Paris attacks.

The Safety Check alert went live during the terrorist attack in Paris on Friday night.

President Francois Hollande has called a state of emergency- the first to be declared by the country since the end of World War II. 

The attacks have left at least 200 people injured and it is believed 120 people died during the tragedies last night, though no official death-toll has been released.

The Safety Check introduced by Facebook is being called a “service to humanity” in the wake of the attacks.

If people are trying to find out the status of friends who might be in Paris, head to the Safety Check page on your Facebook account. The page will list your friends who last checked in around Paris and give you a running tally of who is marked safe.

The Facebook safety tool allows users in the affected areas to notify friends and family of their safety.A push notification is the sent to alert friends that those in the vicinity of the attacks are safe.

One of those responsible for the design of the service took to social media to express her sadness that the tool was now being used on such an occasion: 

Facebook users can also now search for specific friends and if you are aware of someone's safety and wish to notify their friends or loved ones, you can search for that person and press the 'Mark Safe' button.