Samaritan’s Purse has deployed staff, volunteers, and disaster response vehicles to serve hard-hit areas.
A U.S. Disaster Relief team has arrived in Pikeville, Kentucky, to provide assistance in the wake of last weekend’s catastrophic flooding that claimed over a dozen lives. Roughly half a foot of rain deluged many places, causing rivers to overflow and homes to flood. Hundreds of people are still without power and hundreds have been forced to find temporary shelter in schools, churches, or state parks. Over 1,000 rescues have saved people from the floodwaters, but now, a record number of roads are closed.
To further complicate matters, a winter storm dumped snow on the area. Officials have asked for generators, heaters, and other winter supplies, which our team is currently working with local church partners to fulfill.
Volunteers are hard at work in Kentucky removing waterlogged belongings from homes.
Disaster Relief Unit #6, a tractor-trailer stocked with tools and supplies, left Samaritan’s Purse warehouse in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, on Feb. 18 to serve both Pike County, Kentucky, and nearby Williamson, West Virginia. Our base of operations is First Baptist Church, 126 Fourth Street, Pikeville, Kentucky 41501.
First Baptist Church of Pikeville is serving as our host church for this response.
Volunteers are hard at work removing waterlogged belongings and debris from affected homes. To see how you can join them in serving as the hands and feet of Jesus, visit spvolunteer.org.
U.S. Disaster Relief volunteers huddle up to pray with a homeowner and bless her with a Billy Graham Training Center Bible signed by the team.
Please pray for devastated residents and the churches who are seeking to serve them as this region is suffering from yet another disaster. Floods also tore apart eastern Kentucky in 2021 and 2022. Samaritan’s Purse responded to Breathitt and Floyd Counties during these disasters, serving over 600 families with critical relief. We praise God that 119 people accepted Jesus as their Savior through these efforts. From 2022-2024, our volunteers also completed a rebuild program in Breathitt County that served 66 families, with 14 of the homes being constructed from the ground up and two people coming to faith in Christ.
Note: This story was originally published on Feb. 18 and then updated on Feb. 20 and 24.
