On September 26th, at 11:10 p.m. the eye of a Category 4 hurricane struck the Big Bend region of Florida. The pounding wind and rain crossed the area close to where Hurricane Idalia made landfall around a year ago, but Hurricane Helene was significantly larger, having a maximum storm surge of 20 feet. The path of destruction continued to grow as it pushed northward through Georgia. The winds subsided, but the fast-moving storm dumped vast amounts of rain as it moved into the Carolinas and Tennessee.
Already soaked with rain from a previous storm system, the mountainous Appalachian region was unprepared for the deluge of rain from Hurricane Helene. The saturated mountainsides couldn’t hold more moisture, and the water rushed down the slopes and poured into the valleys below. The water rose quickly, flooding streams and ravines. Houses and even towns got caught in the torrent. Vehicles, buildings, bridges, trees, and other debris were swept into the flood of water.
The catastrophic effects of Hurricane Helene are widespread. As homeowners evaluate the damages, they wonder how they will ever recover. We anticipate months of cleanup and possibly several years of rebuilding work.
In Lake Lure, North Carolina, Phil and Gloria were still recovering from a house fire several years prior. After the rain came and the flooding began, water started seeping into their house. It rose rapidly, and the elderly couple became worried when their fridge began to float. Sensing the danger, they crawled out a tiny window away from the water’s strong current. In chest-high water, they made their way to a small boat they owned. By clinging to the boat, they were able to stay on their feet. Slowly, they made their way downstream to a neighbor’s house where they tied their boat to his railing.
A few days later when Phil and Gloria showed a CAM staff member around their damaged home, the relief in their voices from making it out alive was evident. But the question of what they will do next is also quite real.
Another man shared a story at our Loaves & Fishes Food Kitchen in Lake Lure, North Carolina. His daughter and several of her children had been trying to leave their home, but the rising floodwaters trapped them. As some of the children made their escape through the chest-deep water, the 8-year-old was swept downstream. As she was whirled through the water, a man they did not recognize came and pulled her out. The family did not have any close neighbors, nor did they hear from the man since it happened. They feel it was God’s protecting angel.
Many others were also trapped in the rising floodwaters. Not everyone made it out alive. Today many people throughout the Southeast are trying to pick up the pieces of their disrupted lives after losing a family member, their home, or business. In many places, people still don’t have electricity or running water. One man who came to the Loaves & Fishes food kitchen said, “this is exactly what we need! Thank you for providing for us!”
How is CAM responding?
CAM is endeavoring to show God’s love to the hurting disaster survivors by providing cleanup in the immediate aftermath and likely rebuilding in months and years to come. Our Loaves & Fishes Food Kitchen and chaplain ministry workers are also providing hot meals and spiritual support. CAM sees this as a major project involving a large demand of resources and time.
Right now we have a funding shortfall for Disaster Response Services. If you would like to contribute, your support will be a blessing to survivors of Hurricane Helene and other disasters in the USA. Thank you and God bless you.
If you wish to help the victims of Hurricane Helene and other disasters in the USA, click the donate button to give a gift.
