Nazarene Disaster Response: U.S. Tornado Update

Friday April 29, 2011

People across the country, including members of the Nazarene Church, have been affected by severe weather over the last several days.  Flooding, wind and storm damage, and extreme tornado activity have affected neighborhoods, homes, and churches.

FEMA is reporting that 162 people have been killed in Alabama alone, 32 people killed in Mississippi, 13 in Georgia and 32 in Tennessee. They are calling this the deadliest tornado outbreak in nearly 40 years.  National Weather Service received 137 tornado reports with Tuscaloosa (Home of The University of Alabama) was among the most severely damaged.  The Weather Channel on Weather.com reports that more than 250 tornadoes touched down across the South between Monday April 25 and Wednesday April 27.  Both Arkansas and Kentucky have recently declared states of emergency.

Alabama – Alabama Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster states, “The Alabama Emergency Management Agency has activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Level 1. Damage has been reported in Marshall, Lauderdale, Walker and Cullman Counties, with Cullman having SEVERE damage and being the hardest hit.”  Local volunteers have been mobilized along with NDR Rapid Response teams from both Michigan and North Carolina.

Arkansas – Tornadoes the night of Monday April 25 near Vilonia killed 4 people and created widespread destruction according to state authorities.  Major roof damage has been reported on 1 church in Northwest Arkansas according to the district office.

Kentucky – State officials report damage from tornadoes near Paducah.

Missouri, St. Louis – Officials report that 2,700 homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed by the tornado on Friday April 22.  NDR volunteers identified damage ranging from power outages to destroyed homes in the Berkeley, Ferguson, and Bridgeton communities with Bridgeton sustaining the greatest amount of damage.  According to an NDR report, “[Gateway Central Church of the Nazarene] was located in the direct path of the tornado on the evening of Friday, April 22nd and took a direct hit…The church suffered major damage to the entire building.”  The church was fully insured and will be restored.

Piedmont – The Poplar Bluffs area has been affected by a flood caused by a broken levee on the Black River.  Flooding has threatened homes and farmland.  The National Guard has been mobilized by the Governor.

North Carolina, Fayetteville – At least one F-3 tornado created a path from the Riley Road Ft. Bragg gate to just east of Ramsey Street and Interstate 295.  Initial NDR clean-up efforts began Sunday April 17 after the first wave of tornados with 22 volunteers.  Electricity was off in a large area for several days in the Cottonade subdivision.  Over 200 homes were destroyed and another 250 sustained substantial damage in several neighborhoods.

Please partner with NCM through your prayers and contributions.  Join us as we pray for the safety of our Nazarene brothers and sisters, as well as the people of our local churches as they come along side their communities.

Donations and Crisis Care Kits will be used to support current and ongoing relief efforts.  To find out more about Crisis Care Kits, click here: Crisis Care Kits

To support disaster response and relief efforts financially, click the Give Now button
or write a check payable to General Treasurer.

In the U.S. mail to:
Global Treasury Services
Church of the Nazarene
P.O. Box 843116
Kansas City, MO 64184-3116

In Canada:
Make checks payable Church of the Nazarene Canada and send them to:
Church of the Nazarene Canada
20 Regan Road, Unit 9
Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3.

Be sure to put ACM1041 USA\Canada Tornadoes in the Memo area. Thank you for your contribution.