CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), is providing emergency assistance to residents in northwest Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, after ten days of heavy rain produced floods in both states.
An initial $65,000 in grants was provided by Lutheran Disaster Response to enable case management and counseling services in both states, said the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director for Lutheran Disaster Response.
"Heavy rainfall began on June 19. It compounded an already full drainage system, to create an overland flooding problem," said Furst. He said the water spread overland across the countryside, washing out roads, flooding homes, backing up raw sewage and drowning crops.
Hardest hit towns include Moorhead and Dilworth, located in Clay County, Minn. More than 460 families living there were affected. There is major crop damage in a 20-mile by 25-mile area in Clay County, Furst said.
More than 35 percent of the homes in Fargo, N.D., sustained damage. Families living in Grand Forks, N.D., were also affected, Furst said. Flooding in North Dakota has damaged houses that were not affected by floods in the Red River Valley three years ago, he said.
"State emergency managers currently list more than 350 houses affected by floodwater in Grand Forks County. Approximately 1.5 million acres of farmland have been flooded," said Furst.
Relief work conducted by those working for Lutheran Disaster Response in Minnesota and North Dakota "will be a coordinated effort," according to Furst. Staff from the ELCA Eastern North Dakota Synod, the ELCA Northwestern Minnesota Synod, the LCMS North Dakota District and LCMS Minnesota North District will work together, along with staff from Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota and Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota.
"Local volunteers are also assisting with emergency needs and cleanup efforts," said Furst.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
