Dozens of tornadoes struck several states across the South and Midwest last week, killing at least 32 people.
As reported by The Guardian, the storms left damages across multiple states, including Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Delaware and Alabama. At least 900,000 places were left without power after the tornadoes struck Friday evening.
President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for the affected states and called for federal aid in recovery efforts, the Associated Press reports.
“While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, we know families across America are mourning the loss of loved ones, desperately waiting for news of others fighting for their lives, and sorting through the rubble of their homes and businesses,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders have declared a state of emergency for their respective states. Meanwhile, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for at least 12 counties in eastern Iowa.
While the death toll will likely increase in the coming days, the tornadoes have killed at least 32 people across the affected states. Dozens more were injured.
According to The Christian Post, Christian humanitarian groups Samaritan’s Purse and Convoy of Hope have deployed relief teams to the states battered by the deadly tornadoes. In total, there were reports of about 60 tornadoes.
Samaritan’s Purse deployed a Disaster Relief Unit, a tractor-trailer filled with supplies and equipment, from their Southwest Ministry Center in Texas to Little Rock. The ministry also deployed two additional Disaster Relief Units in Covington, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Indiana.
“Pray for those who have lost their homes, businesses—and especially for those who lost loved ones in these storms,” Evangelist Franklin Graham, who leads Samaritan’s Purse, wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday.
City officials reported that more than 2,600 buildings were in the path of a tornado.
As Christian Headlines previously reported, Samaritan’s Purse deployed relief teams last month following a series of tornadoes in Mississippi and Alabama.
Meanwhile, Convoy of Hope sent teams to several locations in Arkansas, including Little Rock and Wynne. The ministry also sent trucks containing food, water and relief supplies to other affected areas.
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Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Benjamin Krain/Stringer
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for Christian Headlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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