The UMCOR Hotline

Telephone: 1-800-841-1235
Web: http://gbgm-umc.org/UMCOR-Hotline/

November 12, 2002: More than 70 tornadoes and thunderstorms have brought destruction and death during the past three days. At least 35 people in five states were killed: sixteen deaths have been reported in Tennessee, twelve in Alabama, five in Ohio and one each in Mississippi and Pennsylvania. More than 200 people were injured. At least 13 states are affected.

UMCOR has been in contact with many of the Annual Conferences where damage occurred:

In the North Alabama Conference, disaster response personnel are assessing Walker County and other areas.
In North Georgia, Bishop Lindsey Davis has requested an emergency grant to help with immediate needs in Pickens County where the county seat community Jasper received severe damage.
In Louisiana, which is still recovering from Isidore and Lili, UMCOR has responded to Bishop William Hutchinson's request for flood buckets filled with cleaning and other supplies. Heavy rain on Sunday evening caused new flooding.
In the Tennessee Conference, disaster coordinators are assessing damage that is scattered all over the central part of the state.
In eastern Tennessee, the Holston Conference is responding to severe damage in Morgan County and in the community of Mossy Grove where, according to District Superintendent Gordon Ridenour, 7 died, 28 were severely injured, and more than 70 homes and mobile homes were affected. UMCOR expects to send an emergency grant in the next few days.
In West Ohio, Bishop Bruce Ough reports that conference disaster personnel are assessing in Van Wert county and they expect that more information will be known in the next few days. Bishop Ough says that one of the deaths was an 18-year-old member of one of the United Methodist congregations.

To assist in the recovery from this disaster, please give to UMCOR's Domestic Disaster Response Advance #901670-1, "November Storms 2002." You may specify a particular Annual Conference or state if you wish.

Gifts may be made through local United Methodist churches, or by calling 1-800-554-8583. Credit card donations are accepted. You can also make a a secure online gift at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ .

UMCOR is providing emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about current UMCOR ministries, please visit the website: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ .

Please pray for those who suffer from hunger, poverty, natural and human-made disasters, including these most recent storms.

Special Addition to UMCOR Hotline:

The state-by-state breakdown of the damage reports that we have received is as follows:

ALABAMA: 12 dead, 50 injured. Damage heaviest in Walker County in the northern part of the state, where nine died.

GEORGIA: Heavy damage in Pickens County north of Atlanta; at least seven injured.

ILLINOIS: Two possible tornadoes touch down in southern Illinois; no damage reported.

INDIANA: Three people injured when winds partially collapse a supermarket in Blackford County in east-central Indiana.

KENTUCKY: Scattered damage across state; no injuries reported.

LOUISIANA: Heavy rain in southeastern Louisiana.

MISSISSIPPI: One man killed in Lowndes County in east-central Mississippi; about 30 injured.

NORTH CAROLINA: Thousands without power in mountain counties; storms pack wind of up to 50 mph.

OHIO: Five dead, 21 injured. Damage heaviest in Van Wert County in northwestern Ohio.

PENNSYLVANIA: One man killed, up to 19 people injured, in Mercer County in western Pennsylvania.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Power outages and reported tornado touchdown in Greenwood County.

TENNESSEE: Sixteen dead, 55 injured. Damage heaviest in rural eastern Tennessee town of Mossy Grove, where seven died and 45 were unaccounted for.

WEST VIRGINIA: Six trailer homes destroyed in Jackson County but no one seriously hurt.