Each major disaster we witness brings with it a greater appreciation of the power of the Internet to bridge gaps in our communication with each other and in our comprehension of events.

After the terrorist attacks of 2001 or the wide-spread San Diego County wildfires of 2003 ——- and now in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina —— the Web proved to be a vital tool.

Online evolution is never more evident than when the need is the greatest and its profile is at its highest, and each new need creates new functionality. But it also brings challenges for information users and providers alike.

Prior to Hurricane Katrina making landfall, news sites across the country, including this newspaper's site, were posting images, warnings and predictions about the major storm swirling toward a notoriously vulnerable region. For anyone who was truly interested, the impending result of the coming storm was well-documented online.

After the disaster, armies of traditional and nontraditional sources poured an unprecedented volume of information, images and video onto their Web sites while offering to serve as virtual meeting points and assistance facilitators for anyone interested.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper managed to continue covering the news at www.nola.com, even when it could no longer print a paper edition. The staff of New Orleans' CBS affiliate WWL-TV at www.wwltv.com could continue offering assistance from the studios of Louisiana Public Broadcasting, even though all of the city's TV sets were dark.

Besides local information, both sites offered forums and blogs with which users from around the world could attempt to connect with the missing and displaced.

Unofficial sites and blogs offered insights and services as well, raising speculation that the bonds between traditional journalists and the growing legions of so-called "citizen journalists" were growing stronger.

But an information stream that is increasingly manned by self-regulating, unassociated observers will require those of us on this end of that stream to be more judicious about how we digest that data.

Those who think the mainstream media would use their voices to further a particular agenda or movement haven't seen anything yet compared to how independents can twist data or promulgate fiction-as-fact in the pursuit of cause.

The Web also has offered the fastest method for soliciting donations and moving cash to where the need is the greatest, as charity groups and disaster relief organizations have embraced the Internet's e-commerce capabilities.

However that power is also ripe for exploitation, as was proven by the numerous illegitimate pledge drives that popped up before the wind even stopped blowing.

Whether Web users are looking for news or looking to help, they must exercise caution in determining the legitimacy of the sites they are viewing.

A list of Hurricane Katrina-related sites is available on our web site www.nctimes.com/special_reports/hurricanekatrina.

Andrew Kleske is online editor for the North County Times. E-mail him at kleske@nctimes.com.