{"id":57549,"date":"2018-10-03T08:03:18","date_gmt":"2018-10-03T12:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christianaidministries.org\/?p=57549"},"modified":"2020-08-24T18:32:40","modified_gmt":"2020-08-24T18:32:40","slug":"hurricane-florence-frequent-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/camsearchandrescue.com\/hurricane-florence-frequent-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Hurricane Florence Project Updates"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Florence cleanup underway in the Carolinas<\/span><\/h2>\n

Monday, October 3, 8:03AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Floodwaters have gone down in most areas and Rapid Response volunteers are cleaning up flood-damaged homes at the following locations.<\/p>\n

Trenton, North Carolina:<\/strong> A Rapid Response base has been setup in Trenton. From this base, staff and volunteers are reaching into the towns of Trenton and Pollocksville. Some houses in these towns had several feet of water in the second stories.<\/p>\n

Lumberton, North Carolina:<\/strong> Floodwaters have finally receded in Lumberton. The water didn\u2019t come up as high as it did in Hurricane Matthew two years ago. However, a lot of houses had several feet of water in them.<\/p>\n

Conway, South Carolina:<\/strong> The floodwater are just receding in the Conway, South Carolina area. Volunteers are doing cleanup work in outlying areas where the water has already gone down.<\/p>\n

Chaplain Ministry<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Chaplain ministry workers at each base are reaching out to those devastated by Hurricane Florence. They are distributing Bibles and Christian literature, first aid kits, and cleaning buckets.<\/p>\n

Loaves & Fishes Food Kitchen<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Food kitchen volunteers are serving meals in Lumberton, North Carolina. They are providing between 1,000 and 1,500 hot meals a day.<\/p>\n

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Rapid Response Cleanup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Donate<\/a><\/p>\n

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Hurricane Florence Brings Record Rainfall to the Carolinas<\/span><\/h2>\n

Monday, September 18, 8:03AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hurricane Florence made landfall on the North Carolina coast on September 14 as a category 1 storm. The storm moved slowly across the Carolinas dumping a deluge of heavy rain. Swansboro, North Carolina, received 34 inches of rain, breaking the all-time record for North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Before Hurricane Florence hit the coast, CAM team members headed to North Carolina and South Carolina. They were prepared to take action as soon as possible after the storm. Florence quickly downgraded to a tropical storm and thankfully did not bring as much devastation as predicted. However, the storm left many needs in its path.<\/p>\n

CAM\u2019s response immediately after the disaster<\/h3>\n

As rivers swelled following Florence\u2019s landfall, our Search & Rescue teams took stranded people to safe locations. One of their rescues involved taking more than forty elderly people from a housing complex to higher ground to escape rapidly rising floodwaters.<\/p>\n

Our Loaves & Fishes food kitchen set up in Lumberton, North Carolina,<\/a> and is serving hot meals to evacuees. Following disasters, people often have no way to cook and can\u2019t buy groceries. Having home-cooked meals prepared for them is a tremendous blessing. Our chaplain ministry workers are working alongside the kitchen crew, ministering to the spiritual needs of the distressed.<\/p>\n

Rapid Response teams wait for water to subside<\/h3>\n

Waters are still rising at the time of this writing. Our Rapid Response cleanup teams are waiting for the waters to subside so they can begin research and start cleaning out homes damaged by the floodwaters.<\/p>\n

The flooding spanned North Carolina and South Carolina. This will no doubt be a large-scale cleanup project. If needed, we will also rebuild homes for flood survivors in the months to come.<\/p>\n

If you wish to help respond to our \u201cneighbors\u201d affected by Hurricane Florence, your contribution will be a blessing. If more funds are received than needed for this project, they will be used in other disaster projects in the USA.<\/p>\n

\"Loaves<\/a>
Loaves & Fishes food kitchen volunteers serve hot meals to evacuees in Lumberton, North Carolina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"North<\/a>
North Carolina home flooded by Hurricane Florence.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Days after Florence\u2019s landfall, rivers continue to rise<\/span><\/h2>\n

Monday, September 17, 8:03AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Car<\/a>
Car stranded in Florence\u2019s floodwaters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rains from Florence are beginning to subside in the Carolinas, but rivers continue to rise. Some will crest later this week.<\/p>\n

Continue to pray for our Search & Rescue teams, chaplain ministry workers, and Loaves & Fishes food kitchen volunteers as they minister to those affected by the storm. Pray also for our Rapid Response team members as they research needs and prepare for what will likely be a large-scale cleanup project.<\/p>\n

As this project develops throughout the week, we will keep you posted.<\/p>\n

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Search & Rescue teams move people to safety<\/span><\/h2>\n

Saturday, September 15, 7:42PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Facing rising floodwaters and drenching rain, our Search & Rescue teams are busy taking people to safety in Lumberton, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is unbelievable!\u201d a team member reports. \u201cThere are requests for help all over the city.\u201d The Search & Rescue teams are presently working to take sixty elderly people in a housing complex to higher ground to escape rapidly rising floodwaters.<\/p>\n

Pray for our team members as they respond to the many requests for help. The situation will no doubt worsen as forecasters predict that heavy rains will continue for at least another day.<\/p>\n

Here are some photos from this evening\u2019s rescue operations in Lumberton.<\/p>\n

\"Flooded
Flooded street in Lumberton, North Carolina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Search
Search & Rescue team members prepare to move sixty elderly people from their housing complex to higher ground.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
A Search & Rescue team member makes his way through floodwaters in Lumberton.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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Severe flooding continues to develop<\/span><\/h2>\n

Saturday, September 15, 6:05AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Florence, now a tropical storm, is hovering over the Carolinas, dumping a massive amount of rain. Although downgraded to a tropical storm, Florence is far from over and the main devastation is likely yet to come. Forecasters say that heavy rain will continue into early next week. Even now, nearly a million people are without electricity and communities are severely flooded. We are bracing ourselves for increased flooding over the next few days.<\/p>\n

Our Search & Rescue teams plan to begin their work this morning. \u201cThe water is rising all around us and it is only a matter of time until major flooding begins,\u201d reports Marcus Miller.<\/p>\n

The beginning of the next week, our Rapid Response teams hope to figure out where to start in what will likely be a large-scale cleanup project spanning the Carolinas and Virginia. We will keep you posted as we get a clearer picture of the extent of the devastation.<\/p>\n

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Loaves & Fishes food kitchen update<\/span><\/h2>\n

Friday, September 14, 12:05PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Hurricane<\/a>
Hurricane damage in Lumberton, North Carolina<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

CAM\u2019s Loaves & Fishes food kitchen is preparing to serve meals in Lumberton, North Carolina. They are unable to set up the food kitchen trailer at this time due to high wind. But as soon as the wind subsides, and people start to venture out, the kitchen crew hopes to begin serving meals.<\/p>\n

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Florence makes landfall<\/span><\/h2>\n

Friday, September 14, 9:01AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hurricane Florence made landfall at 7:15 a.m. near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Marcus Miller, Ohio Search & Rescue coordinator, sent the following report:<\/p>\n

It appears that the most affected area is along the coast at this time . . . This storm is moving slowly. This means we may have to wait a few more hours until the rivers are full and the homes begin to flood inland. It is only a matter of time . . . We are still praying and have a desire for your prayers as well.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Florence approaches landfall<\/span><\/h2>\n

Friday, September 14, 6:29AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Search<\/a>
The CAM Search & Rescue teams are located just outside the storm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hurricane Florence is moving slowly inland and landfall is imminent. Forecasters expect Florence to stall as it makes landfall, bringing dangerous wind, huge storm surges, and a deluge of rainfall throughout the day today. Some areas have already gotten 20 inches of rain and this is only the beginning of the rainfall.<\/p>\n

Our Search & Rescue teams are waiting out the storm and ready to respond as needed. The map above shows the location of our Ohio Search & Rescue team in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Pray for them and our other Search & Rescue teams as they prepare to reach out to those affected by the storm.<\/p>\n

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Update from the Ohio Search & Rescue team<\/span><\/h2>\n

Thursday, September 13, 1:18PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Ohio
Our Search & Rescue team from Ohio travels to Fayetteville, NC, in preparation for Hurricane Florence.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The seven Ohio team members are headed for Fayetteville, North Carolina. \u201cWe are enjoying the sunny weather currently but realize this will be short lived,\u201d says Marcus Miller, Ohio SAR coordinator. \u201cOur goal is to arrive around 2:00 \u00a0this afternoon, set up a base, and begin reaching out to the local officials. At this time our main focus area will be the Lumberton, North Carolina area.\u201d Our other SAR teams plan to be stationed in Sumter, South Carolina.<\/p>\n

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CAM makes initial preparation for Hurricane Florence. <\/span><\/h2>\n

Tuesday, September 11, 5:05PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hurricane Florence is barreling toward the East Coast and is predicted to hit the coast late Thursday night or early Friday morning with wind gusts in the 140 mph range. The storm is forecasted to bring catastrophic flooding in Virginia and North Carolina in the days following.<\/p>\n

Our Rapid Response teams and Search & Rescue teams are on standby, prepared to respond as needed when the storm hits. CAM\u2019s Loaves & Fishes Food kitchen is also gearing up to provide food for survivors if needed.<\/p>\n

We will keep you posted as Hurricane Florence develops. Please pray for the millions of people who are in the storm\u2019s path.<\/p>\n