Church Continues Recovery Efforts Following Tornadoes
Article Highlights
- On Wednesday, April 27, 2011, more than 150 tornadoes affected parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and Arkansas.
- Approximately 300 people have died since the first tornadoes struck on April 14, 2011.
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama, population 83,000, was hardest hit in the most recent rash of tornadoes.
Related Links
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
After more than two weeks during which hundreds of tornadoes touched down in the eastern half of the United States—the deadliest outbreak of tornadoes in almost four decades—Church members continue to assist in the recovery efforts
All missionaries are safe and accounted for, and so far no Church members have been reported dead or injured, although several have reported total loss or significant damage to their homes.
On April 14 and 15 more than 200 severe tornadoes and thunderstorms moved through several southern and southeastern states, killing more than 50 people.
On Wednesday, April 27, 2011, more than 150 tornadoes affected parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and Arkansas, killing at least 283 people. The death toll is expected to rise.
Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, and hundreds of thousands of people are without power in the affected regions. Tuscaloosa, Alabama, population 83,000, was hardest hit in the most recent rash of tornadoes. Across the state, more than 360,000 people were without power as of April 29, 2011.
Church members in various locations are assisting with cleanup efforts and local leaders continue to assess member needs and provide recommendations on assistance in affected communities.
UPDATE 5/6/2011
Since mid-April, more than 300 tornadoes have affected parts of 10 states in what is being called the deadliest outbreak of tornadoes in the United States since the 1930s, with at least 327 people killed in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and Arkansas. Of those, 249 deaths occurred in Alabama alone.
All missionaries are safe, and no members have been reported dead or injured, although several families in multiple states have reported total loss or significant damage to their homes.
Local Church members have been assisting with cleanup efforts over the past two weeks, while Church members in Atlanta and Salt Lake City assembled nearly 4,000 food boxes this week to be distributed to those affected.
This weekend, more than 2,000 Church volunteers from five states will participate in cleanup efforts with volunteers from other civic and religious organizations.
The Church at large has donated 10 truckloads with over 200,000 pounds of food, water, cleaning kits, hygiene kits, chain saws, tools, tarps, diapers, hygiene items, and other supplies since the disaster.
