Hurricane Florence has become a category 4 hurricane. While it is about 1,254 miles off the east coast of the U.S., forecasters are predicting a Thursday afternoon to evening landfall. Although it is a little early to know for certain where Florence will make landfall, most of the forecasts are pointing to a stretch of coast between Myrtle Beach, SC and The Outer Banks, NC. NOAA is predicting a catastrophic and life-threatening landfall with large surf or storm surge, catastrophic flooding and more than two feet of rain. As winds climb to 130 – 156 mile per hour or more devastating damage to homes, businesses and other structures are likely.
Governors of SC, NC and Virginia have declared states of emergency and emergency management agencies throughout the region are planning mandatory and volunteer evacuations. While vacationers and locals are encouraged to make necessary preparations to leave, Operation Compassion and many of its disaster relief partners are making preparations to respond to the effects of Hurricane Florence.
Operation Compassion has contacted several disaster relief partners and product is being moved well ahead of Hurricane Florence. Water, cleaning supplies (commercial and home), food, hygiene products and other necessary disaster relief products are being staged. Others partners are preparing their mobile kitchens which are capable of serving more than 5,000 meals a day.
With the unpredictability of exactly where Hurricane Florence will make landfall, Operation Compassion and its partners have established five coastal disaster relief warehouses, capable of unloading semi-trailers and have 100’s of local churches ready to serve their local communities. In addition, Operation Compassion is securing 25’ box trucks with lift gates to deliver closer to the disaster area.
On Monday, Church of God General Overseer Tim Hill met with OC Director Dave Lorency and Executive Administrator for the Division of Care Mitch Corder where Hill presented a check from the International Offices to assist in the relief effort. Anyone interested in supporting financially, donating products or providing a corporate lead may contact www.operationcompassion.org, call donations to 423.728.3932, or by mail to Operation Compassion, 114 Stuart Road, NE PMB 370, Cleveland, TN 37312.