Within a 48-hour period in late July, communities throughout the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky were deluged with 8 to 10.5 inches of rainfall, resulting in flash floods and mudslides that caused massive destruction and claimed 38 lives.
The bulk of the flooding hit in the early morning hours, with people waking up from neighbors screaming for them to get out. Most didn’t have time to prepare or grab any of their belongings. Houses, mobile homes, and vehicles were swept away in a moment. One couple watched as their four children slipped from their grip into the torrents as they clung to a tree for safety.
“This has been one of the most widespread disasters I have ever seen,” said SCA Disaster Response Director Mark Roye, who visited the area for an on-site assessment. “I drove over 100 miles in one day getting to various communities, and flooding was everywhere. Because of this fact, our help is greatly needed.”
He adds: “Most of the people did not have flood insurance, so it is a total loss. Many didn’t have much to begin with, and now everything is gone.”
As Mark toured the area with relief partners from CRI and YAIPak, he was able to bless some of the families with gift cards, Watts of Love solar lights, and Somebody Cares bears.
“As we were driving around looking at the miles and miles of destruction, we came up on a young man working on his trailer. His family of five lived there,” Mark said. “The floors and walls were soaked with water. Most of us would just walk away, but he said he would rebuild. You see, most of these people don’t have anywhere to go.
“We were able to give gifts cards just to help him along, and we prayed with him. He was thankful for stopping by and, as we were leaving, he said that we were always welcome to come back.”
Mary’s house, located a couple of miles away, was also severely damaged from the flood. She and her disabled husband had both been sleeping on the front porch. They also lost their car in the flood and had been waiting over a week for the auto insurance adjuster to come.
“This was a story we heard a lot,” Mark said. “People are stranded without vehicles, unable to go anywhere for help, food, or even a hot meal. Most people are also afraid to leave their houses because of the fear of someone stealing what little they have left.”
Your gift today will help so many people in this desperate situation!
• $25 can serve hot meals to 5 evacuees
• $50 can help a child with new clothes and shoes
• $100 can meet special needs to help families like fuel for their cars, replace lost medicine and more.
• $500 can help shelter families who have lost homes and possessions
• $2,500 can transport a truckload of essentials to flooded communities
“Some of these areas are some of the poorest places I have seen in the USA,” he observed. “In times like this, we have an opportunity to show the people in need the love of Jesus. Thank you for your prayers and support.”
Please pray for everyone who has experienced so much loss in these floods and for our partners and others who are responding to the needs. Thank you for caring!