Relief teams have deployed to Breathitt County and Floyd County, Kentucky, and in St. Louis County, Missouri, in the wake of deadly flash floods.
Heavy rains last week caused devastating flooding in eastern Kentucky, destroying hundreds of homes and claiming at least 37 lives—with the death toll expected to rise. Thousands of residents are displaced.
U.S. Disaster Relief Units–tractor-trailers filled with relief supplies and equipment–have been deployed to two locations in Kentucky.
Almost a foot of rain quickly deluged a multi-county region on July 28, creating a terrifying situation as rivers overflowed their banks and swept through residential areas. In the aftermath, National Guard personnel rescued hundreds of people from life-threatening circumstances.
Samaritan’s Purse has deployed relief specialists and two Disaster Relief Units—tractor trailers filled with equipment and supplies—to Kentucky from our North American Ministries base in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. We are serving affected residents in the hard-hit areas of Breathitt County and Floyd County. Volunteers are removing waterlogged belongings, floors, and sheetrock from flooded homes.
Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains are also serving in the area, offering residents spiritual encouragement and emotional support in the aftermath of this deadly disaster.
“Would you pray for those who have lost loved ones and the many more whose homes and belongings were so suddenly swept away? Our hearts break for them,” Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham said via Facebook. “And keep our team in prayer as we work to bring help in Jesus’ Name.”
Information on volunteering is available at spvolunteer.org.
“Would you pray for those who have lost loved ones and the many more whose homes and belongings were so suddenly swept away? Our hearts break for them.”
This is not our first time to eastern Kentucky. Most recently, Samaritan’s Purse mounted a disaster relief response in Breathitt County after flooding in 2021 and continued to support residents through a rebuilding project into 2022.
We are also responding in St. Louis County, Missouri, where hundreds of homes have water damage after flooding. Volunteer teams are expected to start work on Wednesday. Check spvolunteer.org for more details on our St. Louis area response.
Our flood response also continues in Buchanan County, Virginia, where volunteers began working recently after more than 100 homes were flooded along the overflowing Dismal River.
Flooding in Breathitt County, Kentucky (July 28).
Note: This story was originally published Aug. 1. Updates have been made.
