by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service
Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) continues to assess the needs of
people in Tennessee after another series of violent storms and
tornadoes struck the state April 7. As many as 23 tornadoes
touched down in Tennessee, killing 12 people. LDR, a national
ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is in partnership with other
national relief organizations for long-term recovery. It
provides immediate assistance to people displaced from their
homes, emotional and spiritual support for those affected by
disaster, care for caregivers, coordination of volunteers and
long-term recovery response, and distribution of hardship grants
for survivors of disasters who need assistance in covering
immediate expenses.
Since April severe weather has killed a total of 35 people and
injured about 300 others, according to Tennessee Governor Phil
Bredesen. Initial disaster declarations were made April 6 for
Dyer and Gibson counties for storms that struck in the beginning
of April. As of April 17 federal disaster assistance has been
extended to serve 13 counties in the middle of state.
According to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction
Center, the number of tornadoes in the United States has jumped
dramatically in 2006. In the first three months of the year
there were an estimated 286 tornado touchdowns, as compared to an
average of about 70 tornadoes in the same time period over the
past several years, LDR reported.
- - -
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
