On Sunday morning, May 12, our DC-8 aircraft departed the Greensboro Airlift Response Center in North Carolina bound for Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil in a second airlift transporting relief to the flood-ravaged region. The flight is carrying shelter tarp and other relief supplies. Also on board were relief staff deploying to the area. Supplies from our first airlift (May 11) aboard our 757 are on the ground in the region and crews are preparing truck convoys for transport to affected areas.
Heavy rainfall has triggered landslides and flash floods in the region, killing at least 143 people, displacing more than 538,000, and cutting off electricity to more than 1.4 million Brazilians.
Onboard the May 11 flight were personal water filtration systems, hygiene kits, blankets, solar lights, and other relief items. We’re also supplying ten community water filtration systems, each capable of supplying clean drinking water for up to 10,000 people per day.
“Please continue praying for all those whose lives have been devastated by this flooding as even more heavy rains are on the way,” said Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham.
On May 8, we deployed an initial wave of DART staff to Porto Alegre, the state’s capital city, in response to critical needs in the flood-devastated area. We are working with local authorities and a network of area churches to develop a disaster response to devastated communities and help meet the urgent needs of displaced families throughout this southern part of the country.
Rains from powerful storms began to pummel the region April 27, inundating entire towns, destroying critical infrastructure, and knocking out power.
Please pray for these suffering Brazilian families and for our teams as we deliver relief and the hope of Jesus Christ to hurting communities.