The business district of Douglasville, Ga., was under water Sept. 22.
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RICHMOND — Virginia Baptists’ disaster relief ministry is gearing up to assist victims of “epic” floods in Georgia that killed at least 10 people the week of Sept. 20.
The network of Baptist disaster relief organizations, which includes the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, requested help with clean-up recovery — or “mud out” — Sept. 25, said Terry Raines, disaster relief coordinator for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board.
“Trained volunteers willing to get dirty and work hard are needed,” said Raines.
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has declared a state of emergency in 17 flood-stricken counties, and the state insurance commissioner estimated $250 million in losses. Hundreds of people remained in shelters Sept. 25, though many blocked roads and highways were reopening.
“It is epic!” scientist Brian McCallum told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. McCallum, assistant director of the U.S. Geological Survey Water Science Center in Georgia, called the results of the heavy rains a once in 500 years flood, because the likeliness of it occurring is so rare.
Though the rains had stopped Sept. 24, predictions called for additional downpours the weekend of Sept. 25.
Raines said the Virginia Baptist Mission Board is organizing two disaster relief teams, both consisting of “bluehats” (skilled work crew leaders), “yellow hats” (crew workers) and chaplains, to leave Monday, Sept. 28, and work through Sunday, Oct. 4. He said two additional teams likely will be needed to work Oct. 3-10.
“Ideally, each team will consist of one blue hat, 12 yellow hats and two crisis care chaplains,” said Raines.
Those available to help should call the disaster relief hotline at (804) 545-1212. Additional information is available from mobilization assistant Nichole Bulls at nichole.bulls@vbmb.org.
Meanwhile, the North American Mission Board reported that Georgia Baptists’ disaster relief ministry has deployed a feeding unit at First Baptist Church in Summerville, Ga., about 90 miles northwest of Atlanta. An additional recovery unit is based at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center near Toccoa in northeast Georgia. That team, and another from Alabama working in Douglasville, Ga., are making assessments on which recommendations for assistance will be based.
In addition, Tennessee Baptists have deployed a feeding unit for an American Red Cross shelter in Chattanooga, just north of the Georgia border.
Robert Dilday is managing editor of the Religious Herald.