Over the past two weeks, Louisiana has been hit by catastrophic flooding, in what is being called the worst natural disaster to strike the U.S. since Hurricane Sandy.
Southeast Louisiana was struck by torrential rainfall beginning on August 12th, with some communities receiving more than 20 inches of rain. The storm dropped 3 times as much rain on Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina and caused widespread flooding, damaging more than 40,000 homes and thousands of businesses. Because the area had no history of flooding, the majority of homeowners did not have flood insurance and might not be able to repair or rebuild their homes.
The best way to immediately help the victims of this crisis is to fundraise to support on-the-ground relief work. Money is needed immediately to provide the tens of thousands of displaced people with food, shelter, clothing, and medical supplies. In addition, longer term support will be needed to help local residents get back on their feet.
You can raise money for either of the following charities:
- United Way of Southeast Louisiana is providing flood victims with food, clothing, and counseling..
- The Louisiana Red Cross is providing shelter and food to evacuees at 19 Red Cross and community-run shelters. In addition, you can donate to the Red Cross on your cell phone – just text LAFLOODS to 90999 to donate $10.
Photo provided by Thomas Cizauskas under a Creative Commons license.