wfn.org | NW Floods Recede

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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 (3364 notes).

Note 3363 by UMNS on Jan. 7, 1997 at 15:54 Eastern (4005 characters).

SEARCH: floods, northwest, United Methodist Committee on 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:  Linda Bloom                           9(10-21-71B){3363}
          New York (212) 870-3803                     Jan. 7, 1997

EDITORS NOTE: A sidebar accompanies this story.

Northwest floods call
for multi-level response

                 by United Methodist News Service

     As flood waters receded Jan. 6 in the Northwestern United
States, United Methodists were beginning to assess how to help
with recovery efforts.
     The Rev. Craig Paterson, disaster response coordinator for
the denomination's California-Nevada Annual (regional) Conference,
called it a "multi-state, multi-district, highly-diversified
flooding situation. That increases the complexity tremendously in
dealing with response."
     The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR),
anticipating "a tremendous need for support and assistance with
cleanup, repairs and rebuilding," is directing monetary donations
to UMCOR Advance No. 901-670-1.
     But the threat of further damage wasn't over yet,
particularly in California, where the possibility of levees
collapsing under the burden of overflowing rivers continued.
     "Even though the sun is shining, we have some very dangerous
situations still," Paterson reported.
     One of the threatened areas is Meridian, a town 50 miles
south of Sacramento that includes a United Methodist church. A 10-
foot-high earthen wall was built around the community in an effort
to protect it from the Sacramento River.
     The series of storms that began Dec. 26 and swept through
parts of California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Nevada, have
resulted in more than 20 deaths and billions of dollars in damage.
The vicious weather forced many people to evacuate their homes;
caused the cancellation of Dec. 29 church services in some areas;
created sinkholes and mudslides around Seattle; stranded tourists
in Yosemite National Park and closed gambling casinos in Reno,
Nev.
     The Rev. David Kinman, disaster response coordinator for the
United Methodist Oregon-Idaho Conference, reported that while the
flood waters are receding now, "they'll recede slowly because the
reservoirs are so full they'll need to lower them in order to make
room for the next heavy rains."
     One concern is whether the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) will declare any of the affected Oregon counties
eligible for federal assistance, according to Kinman. Churches
will try to fill the gap in terms of response, he said.
     "The church needs to be helpful (even) in the little
disasters," Kinman said. "We need prayers for people in
psychological shock. When it's raining again and the waters are
rising, even when it doesn't get in their houses, they are
scared."
     In California, more than 2,000 homes "across a very wide
area," have been destroyed totally, according to Paterson. The
biggest concentration of damage has been in Modesto.
     Bishop Melvin Talbert and the California-Nevada Conference
cabinet and other staff were to meet Jan. 7 to design the basics
of a response plan. Paterson said he also will meet in Sacramento
with other segments of the disaster response community.
     The complexity of the situation calls for a number of
different projects that are sensitive to local needs, according to
Paterson. The conference will design a plan using local leadership
"to provide the case management and all the support to recovery,"
but will coordinate the plan both through the conference and
through ecumenical work.
     A UMCOR field staff member will help assess recovery needs.
Volunteer teams are not yet being organized, but interested people
can register to assist with long-term recovery efforts by calling
the agency's Volunteer Line at (800) 918-3100.
                              #  #  #

       

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