By Catie Ballenger, American Red Cross
Just seven days into the calendar year, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake sent powerful shock waves across the island of Puerto Rico, knocking out power and badly damaging thousands of structures. After weeks of a terrifying series of seismic events not seen on the island since 1918, the island remains shaken—both seismically and in the outlooks of those who live there.
On the night of March 2, 2020 and into the morning of March 3, fourteen tornadoes touched down across middle Tennessee. As a result, 25 people have been confirmed dead including 5 children, more than 300 were injured and more than 70,000 people lost power in these storms, which brought roaring winds up to 165 miles per hour.
The Red Cross spent 6 weeks in immediate response operations with nearly 400 Red Cross humanitarians, nine of whom deployed for the Colorado and Wyoming region. We served nearly 14,000 households with emergency supplies, health services, mental health services and spiritual care.
On the night of March 2, 2020 and into the morning of March 3, fourteen tornadoes touched down across middle Tennessee. As a result, 25 people have been confirmed dead including 5 children, more than 300 were injured and more than 70,000 people lost power in these storms, which brought roaring winds up to 165 miles per hour.
The American Red Cross opened a Level 4 operation in Tennessee to provide humanitarian assistance in what is now both a mass care and mass casualty incident. The number of residents who need shelter continues to grow due to cold nights, thousands of homes still without power and an acute pre-storm housing shortage in the Nashville metro area. Over 260 Red Cross responders, four of whom are from Colorado and Wyoming, are deployed to and working in Tennessee distributing emergency supplies, operating shelters, feeding people from Emergency Response Vehicles, and working with our community partners to raise hope from the rubble.
And, so we are approaching our latest challenge, COVID-19, against the backdrop of ever-increasing disasters. This year, we’ll endure spring floods and storms along with COVID-19. The American Red Cross is mission ready and we’re going to keep it that way.
