Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) offers prayers of support to the people of Greensburg, Kansas, following a tornado that struck the town.
On Friday, May 4, an EF-5 tornado with winds up to 205mph destroyed 90 percent of Greenburg, killing 10 people and leaving more than 50 people injured. The tornado flattened buildings in the town’s downtown district and most homes were destroyed or heavily damaged. On Saturday, May 5, there were reports of more than 75 tornado touchdowns in Kansas and Oklahoma. The tornadoes generated flooding throughout the state of Kansas and President Bush has officially declared Kiowa County, Kansas a disaster area.
Richard Ohlsen, ERD’s Director of Domestic Disaster Response, is in communication with the Dioceses of Western Kansas and Kansas and St. Francis Academy in West Kansas. St. Francis Academy is an Episcopal Community Service organization that works with youth in Western Kansas. Both dioceses will attend the Kansas State Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (KSVOAD) meeting in Haviland, KS. Through KSVOAD, both dioceses will be able to coordinate their response with other faith-based and secular organizations. ERD stands ready to provide support as needs are identified.
Please pray for the communities touched by these recent storms.
Episcopal Relief and Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. An independent 501(c) (3) organization, ERD saves lives and builds hope in communities around the world. ERD’s programs work toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We provide emergency assistance in times of crisis and rebuild after disasters. We enable people to climb out of poverty by offering long-term solutions in the areas of food security and health care, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.
