Supplies Run Low, Church Outreach to Wilma Victims Continues
Although disaster agencies have set up stations and other preparations for relief work, residents and tourists are still met with a scarcity of food, water and gas and no electricity.
More deaths from Hurricane Wilma have been reported with the current number at 21 in Florida.
Along with deaths brought on by the storm, some died in the aftermath of Wilma during cleanup and power outages, according to Florida emergency officials.
Many relief aid workers face challenges, including a shortage of supplies, in meeting the needs of the devastated cities. Although disaster agencies have set up stations and other preparations for relief work, residents and tourists are still met with a scarcity of food, water and gas and no electricity.
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"There's a lot of need but no materials," said Marily Swanson, project director for the conference's Storm Recovery Center, according to the United Methodist News Service. "Red Cross shelters are set up, and (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) is on the way, but there are 4 million people in the metropolitan area."
Relief directors expressed concern over the poorer and elderly residents who may have no way of reaching distribution sites. Storm-affected people have been lining up for hours for water that many times has run out.
"I'm really afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better," said Rosemary Rotolo, who works as an administrative assistant in the Madison district office, to UMNS.
Addressing the dire needs of those still without aid supplies, the Florida Conference Disaster Response Depot in Madison set up a distribution center at Rader Memorial Church on Oct. 27.
Not only have residents been struggling to get power back into their homes, but district offices and churches have also met the same challenge as they try to assist the affected. The church in Madison has been providing meals through the use of gas stoves and connection difficulties have impeded communication among churches.
Despite the obstacles and storm damages, churches have kept their doors open to help the community. Epworth United Methodist Church in Hollywood and Christ Church United Methodist in Fort Lauderdale have soaked pews and a hole in the roof, yet such damages have not prevented outreach from being conducted.
Wilma hit Florida as the eighth hurricane in 15 months. Complete power restoration to the millions of Florida residents may take weeks and supplies are running scarce.
To make contributions to relief and recovery efforts of the United Methodist Church, visit www.methodistrelief.org.
