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Spring Storms
Flooding from snowfall and rainstorms affecting many communities
May 12, 2011
Large snowfall from last winter and heavy spring rainstorms have caused rivers, including the Ohio and the Mississippi, to rise to record levels above flood stage. Extensive flooding along the rivers has prompted evacuations, but the full extent of damage and needs caused by flooding will not be known until the waters recede.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has been in contact with presbyteries along the Mississippi River from Southeast Illinois and southward. Many presbyteries and congregations have already been making what preparations are possible. Some churches are preparing well by elevating the contents of their buildings above the expected flood levels, sand bagging and preserving historic records and valuables. Others are simply preserving historic and financial records.
PDA encouraged congregations to be sure they had contact information from the most vulnerable members of the church and to be sure to transmit that information to the Emergency Operation Center, so those individuals would get priority support in case of an evacuation or rescue operations. Presbyteries have also been encouraged to begin organizing their congregations to serve the wider community in the aftermath of the flooding.
PDA is continuing our work to respond to needs after two waves of tornadoes (on April 16 and 27) in the South and Southeast. A continuing need is spiritual and emotional care, especially for church leaders and caregivers who have been ministering to disaster-affected families, while they may themselves be in need of care.
At the request of our partner, Church World Service is shipping 11,000 Hygiene Kits to storm-damaged areas in Alabama. Communities in several states, including Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina, have also received supplies, including:
- 436 Emergency Clean-up Buckets
- 2,800 Hygiene Kits
- 300 Wool Blankets
- 30 Baby Kits
- 120 School Kits
The shipments are valued at $55,000. Requests for more material goods are being received daily.
In many areas, the first response phase is coming to a close. PDA will work with presbyteries as they begin to address the longer term needs and to help identify needs and opportunities to help with rebuilding efforts. Should a request for volunteers from outside of the region be made, PDA will post this information to the PDA web site.
Please continue to pray for all those impacted by the flooding and the storms, and for those responding to community needs.