Red Cross Responds to Floods in the Southeast Region

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2009

Contact: Bill Harrison

804-780-2256

Red Cross Responds to Floods in the Southeast Region

RICHMOND, VA, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 — As rising flood waters cover the Southeast, hundreds have looked to the American Red Cross for shelter as officials estimate the number of people needing help could rise dramatically.  The Richmond local mobile feeding unit and volunteers are on standby if needed.

Overnight more than 220 people took refuge in Red Cross shelters in neighboring states.  Georgia has been hit the hardest and according to news reports, the flooding has claimed at least eight lives.  Governor Sonny Purdue has declared a state of emergency in 17 counties and authorities are urging people to stay home if possible.

Red Cross is providing a safe place to stay, food to eat, and a shoulder to lean on for those affected by the flooding which has prompted evacuations, washed out bridges, caused landslides, and closed highways across the area.

“These flood waters can come up very rapidly.  People should be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice,” said Joe Becker, Senior Vice President Red Cross Disaster Services, “We have shelters open which offer a safe haven for those who have been forced out of their homes.”

Preliminary estimates from emergency management officials indicate that as many as 1,000 people could potentially need sheltering.

For more information on what to do if flood waters threaten, visit Red Cross preparedness information on www.redcross.org.

Help people affected by disasters like the current floods by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.  Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for disasters and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter, www.greaterrichmond.redcross.org or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting redcross.org.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters.  Red Cross  is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org