wfn.org | Rain Slows Hurricane Aid

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3170 notes).

Note 3170 by UMNS on Sept. 12, 1996 at 16:41 Eastern (4178 characters).

SEARCH:   hurricane, Fran, Hortense, Carolina, Virginia, relief
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Joretta Purdue                      456(10-32-71B){3170}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722          Sept. 12, 1996

More rain slows 
post-hurricane relief 

                 by United Methodist News Service

     "Rain, rain go away ... " is more than a line from a
children's rhyme for people in North Carolina and areas to the
north that are still trying to recover from Hurricane Fran, which
pounded the state Sept 5.
     In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the heavy rainfall
in Hurricane Hortense caused massive flooding that resulted in at
least 20 fatalities. The storm dumped up to 18 inches on those
islands in the Caribbean, Sept. 10.
     Homes, roads and bridges have been washed away by the floods
and mudslides in Puerto Rico. Damage to crops there is estimated
to be higher than in Hurricane Hugo in 1989 that accounted for
$100 million in agricultural losses.
     In the areas of the United States hit by Hurricane Fran after
the storm carved a path northward through the eastern part of the
state, rain was the major culprit from the beginning.
     The Rev. Louis Carson, superintendent of the Danville (Va.)
District of the United Methodist Church, said that almost 50
percent of the homes and churches in his area had some water in
their basements. Two days before Hurricane Fran, he said, the area
had been soaked then the hurricane hit with more rain plus wind so
a great number of trees were blown down.
     In Harrisonburg District, Furnace United Methodist Church has
been serving as a center for the water-logged Naked Creek area. As
a result of the rains, "a small creek became a river," destroying
roads in a number of places, said the Rev. Susan Garrett,
superintendent of the Harrisonburg (Va.) District, in the Blue
Ridge Mountains.
     The church, which has an average attendance of 65, was
preparing hot food for workers and serving as a distribution
center for food, water and medical supplies. Emergency workers and
volunteers operated from the structure to serve the community,
Garrett said. 
     A truck of cleaning supplies and drinking water from the
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) was to arrive in
Harrisonburg, Sept. 12. The church is planning long-term
assistance for the area, she said, and a UMCOR disaster relief
specialist is coming to help Sept 16.
     Relief and recovery are being slowed by the rain in North
Carolina, said Beverly Bartlett, a consultant with UMCOR in the
New York office.
     Rain hampered emergency crews still trying to clear roadways
of fallen trees and to restore electricity in a state where more
than 140,000 people remained without power five days after the
hurricane came ashore. It flooded areas, denying access and
diverting efforts of local fire and police.
     At the United Methodist North Carolina Conference center,
reports continued to come in, although communications were by no
means back to normal.
     Four inches of rain fell in some of the storm-afflicted areas
of North Carolina overnight Sept. 10, said Bill Norton, conference
communicator.
     Preliminary reports from United Methodist pastors indicate
widespread outage of electric service, trees on buildings and
other wind damage, Norton said.
     Wrightsville (N.C.) had four feet of water in the parsonage
and mud and water throughout the church.
     "Part of the United Methodist response will be guidance for
establishing child-care programs in local churches and care for
pastors," said the Rev. Jerry Jackson, North Carolina Conference
disaster preparedness chairman.
     Bishop Marion M. Edwards scheduled four meetings on. Sept 14
in four communities to consider what had happened and assess plans
for response.
                               # # #

     NOTE TO EDITORS: You may wish to pick up UMNS release #448
{3162} from Sept. 10 that includes the volunteer, hotline and
advance special telephone numbers.

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