Hurricane Dennis Relief Efforts Underway
Operation Blessing trucks like these are stocked
with relief supplies for distrubution to relief
partners and hurricane victims.
Cheryl of Milton, Florida, was grateful for
the Wal-Mart gift certificate she received from
OBI.
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U.S. Gulf Coast - Hurricane Dennis
roared ashore Sunday (July 10) as a formidable Category
3 storm, making landfall less than 50 miles east of where
Hurricane Ivan carved a path of destruction in 2004. Dennis drenched coastal communities in Florida, Alabama,
Georgia and Mississippi with up to 8 inches of driving
rainfall and lashed the region with winds reaching
120 mph. The storm has been blamed for five deaths in Florida
and Georgia and severe flooding in communities throughout
the region. Power is gradually being restored to area
residents but thousands remain sweltering in the intense
summer heat. Operation Blessing was among the first to respond when
Hurricane Dennis struck. Trucks loaded with food,
hygiene and cleaning supplies were pre-positioned at OBI’s
distribution warehouse in Ocala, Florida, allowing immediate
dispatch to affected areas along the Gulf Coast. OBI teams distributed food and relief supplies to
more than 2,000 hurricane victims in Pace, Florida, bringing
much-needed items to storm-weary residents. Tidal surges of up to 6 feet swamped four Florida towns,
including the fishing village of St. Marks, where most
residents suffered total losses. Together with partners
at Taking It To the Streets Ministries, OBI helped provide
food, water, charcoal and additional relief supplies
to storm and flood victims. Operation Blessing teams are on the ground in impacted
areas of Florida and Alabama, assessing damage and meeting
with local ministry partners. In order to provide immediate assistance to hardest-hit
families, OBI assessment team leaders are carrying $100
Wal-Mart gift certificates for on-the-spot distribution,
with an additional $10,000 in gift certificates supplied
to local relief partners for dispersement. Working with the Salvation Army, another strategic relief
partner, Operation Blessing is providing water, meals
and other emergency supplies to those affected by Dennis.
During 2004 hurricane response efforts, Operation Blessing
helped supply the Salvation Army´s portable kitchens
in Florida with enough food to prepare and serve 27,000
meals per day. International relief efforts in Haiti and Cuba are underway
as well, where Dennis claimed 32 lives and inflicted
widespread damage and flooding. Teaming with World Concern
in Haiti and Catholic Charities in Cuba, OBI and its
partner agencies are at work bringing emergency relief
to struggling hurricane victims. Cuba was hardest hit by Dennis, leveling 15,000 homes
and damaging 84,000 residences. More than 2 million people
are without electricity, and Operation Blessing has provided
$25,000 to buy rice, beans, powdered milk and canned
food to meet the most urgent needs of disaster victims. Hurricane Dennis was the earliest Category 4 hurricane
ever recorded in the Caribbean basin. As the 2005 storm season continues
to intensify, Hurricane Emily
blew off roofs and caused severe water damage on the
island of Grenada, after becoming a Category 4 storm
as it moved through the eastern Caribbean Sea. Hurricane
watches are now in effect for Jamaica and the Cayman
Islands. Packing winds near 135
miles per hour, Emily's projected path places landfall
on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula next week. How You Can Help Every day, Operation Blessing teams are at work around
the world responding to the needs of disaster victims. Make
an online donation today to support OBI's
emergency and long-term hurricane relief efforts. |
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