A wave of deadly storms that hit multiple states over Memorial Day weekend left a devastating trail of destroyed homes — and at least 20 deaths have been reported.
Fatalities have been reported in Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas. Tens of thousands were reportedly left without power. Other states reportedly among those impacted by storm damage included Missouri and Illinois.
Ongoing response
It’s been a particularly busy spring for Southern Baptists responding to the damage left by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, noted Send Relief’s Coy Webb. This weekend’s storms have prompted new relief efforts in the south and central part of the U.S., he said.
“This weekend’s deadly storms that produced at least 20 tornados continues a pattern of severe weather that began in April,” Webb said. “Weather experts share that a persistent pattern of warm, moist air continues to unleash severe storms.”
For example, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Disaster Relief and Texans on Mission continue response efforts in multiple sites from previous storms and flooding. Teams have deployed assessors, chainsaw recovery team, and chaplains to this weekend’s storms in Collin, Cooke and Denton Counties. About a half dozen deaths were reported in Cooke County alone.
Multiple teams have joined the response to Texas flooding and storms. These teams have included Arkansas, Arizona, Ohio, Illinois, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah-Idaho, New Mexico and Louisiana supporting the response, Webb reported. Baptists in Alabama are putting together teams to support the response and Mississippi also assessing if they can put together teams to assist.
