Responding to Spring Storms

• Storms spawning waves of tornadoes hit the central states on consecutive weekends in late March into April.
• Samaritan’s Purse initially responded to seven locations across four of the central states—Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Teams also responded in Oklahoma after a spate of tornadoes struck near Shawnee in late April.

Powerful storms spawning scores of tornadoes ripped across the South and Midwest in early spring, claiming more than 50 lives and damaging countless homes and businesses. Samaritan's Purse quickly deployed to help homeowners in the aftermath of the storms.

During our multi-week response we established eight relief bases across five states where we deployed hundreds of volunteers to assist hurting homeowners with the massive clean up effort.

In partnership with local churches, teams came alongside homeowners to tarp roofs, chainsaw downed trees, clear debris, and search for salvageable items in the wreckage.

“Some houses are reduced to toothpicks,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. Graham, along with his wife Jane and son Edward, visited Rolling Fork and Silver City, Mississippi, to encourage residents and volunteers on March 29. Pray for those who have lost their homes, businesses—and especially those who lost loved ones in these storms.