At least 24 tornadoes ripped across six states in the dark of night, impacting people in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. Initial reports show that some communities have suffered significant damage with homes and buildings destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people left without power.
ST LOUIS, Mo (December 14, 2021) - The American Red Cross continues to provide relief to those impacted by the recent tornadoes that spanned several states over the weekend. The Missouri-Arkansas Region response team is conducted damage assessments the damage in the areas impacted in Missouri and Arkansas, with focus on Craighead County, Poinsett County and Mississippi in Arkansas; St. Charles County and Pemiscot County in Missouri; and Madison County in Illinois.
“We have been assessing the damage to homes and determining what kind of needs those impacted have,” said Chris Harmon, Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross of Missouri of Arkansas Region. “We are also providing shelter and distributing water, snacks and emergency supplies, such as trash bags, tarps, and gloves in impacted neighborhoods.”
Anyone in the affected areas that needs a safe place to stay should visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or download the free Red Cross Emergency app for shelter locations.
Several emergency shelters are open to provide comfort for people who can’t return home. As the weather clears, Red Cross volunteers will be out in affected communities assessing the damage left behind to help determine the types of support people may need in the coming days and weeks.
A state of emergency has been declared for several areas across 4 states in the aftermath of these deadly storms, and we need your help to make sure that these families get back on their feet and to help them get things back to normal.
HOW YOU CAN HELP OUT:
During and after disasters, financial donations enable the Red Cross to help people recover from disasters big and small. To give visit redcross.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation or donate online at www.redcross.org.
To volunteer, visit https://www.redcross.org/volunteer.
Make an appointment to donate blood at www.redcrossblood.org