BOONE, N.C. — Volunteer teams and staff with Christian aid group Samaritan's Purse deployed to the mid-South to provide for those wracked by tornadoes late Friday night.
Severe storms produced tornadoes that ripped through areas like Monette, Arkansas and Mayfield, Kentucky. In Mayfield alone, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the storms could end up leaving behind a death toll of 100. In Monette, one person died after a nursing home collapsed on residents and staff inside.
"We woke up Saturday morning to the horrific news of devastating tornadoes and tragic loss of life across multiple states,” said Franklin Graham, evangelist and president of Samaritan’s Purse. “Join me in praying for these hurting families—many who have lost loved ones."
Samaritan's Purse sent a disaster relief unit from the Texas ministry center in the form of a tractor-trailer stocked with tools and equipment. The group, which deployed early Saturday morning, aims to help families salvage personal belongings, clear downed trees, and apply tarp to damaged roofs.
“It’s heartbreaking when you see Kentucky and for me, it's just as heartbreaking here," Clay Steelman, program manager with Samaritan's purse, said.
Steelman is on the ground in the areas around hard-hit Monette Arkansas. He said the disaster response teams with Samaritan’s Purse are now helping survivors tarp roofs and remove fallen trees and debris.
“As you get into the communities themselves there are a lot of trees that are laying on the ground, several of the homes are completely collapsed in on themselves,” he said.
Steelman said what makes this tragic situation worse for him is the timing.
“One of the things that strike you the most is you see the Christmas decorations, you see the Santa underneath the tree that’s been destroyed, you see the Christmas lights that have been ripped off homes,” he said.
It's what he says he wants everyone around the country to remember.
“There are a lot of hurting people," he explained. "They're going to be hopefully happy enough to get back in their homes.. and Christmas is just an afterthought."
Along with Arkansas and Kentucky, four other states were hit by the storms. An Amazon facility in Illinois was also hit, with the roof collapsing on workers inside. At least two people died in that incident.
Samaritan's Purse is also sending assessment teams to Tennessee and Illinois to further survey the damage and see what's needed in those states.