Dorian's Devastating Assault on the Bahamas: Samaritan's Purse Mounting a Response on Two Fronts in Its Wake; How You Can Help

News Staff : Sep 3, 2019
Samaritan's Purse

"Families in the Bahamas are suffering and millions of others are bracing for Dorian's impact as the storm continues to move. Please join me in praying for everyone affected by this hurricane, and for our teams as we respond in Jesus' Name." -Franklin Graham

[SamaritansPurse.org] Update (7:05 a.m., Sept. 3): Samaritan's Purse is preparing to send tons of emergency relief to the Bahamas aboard our DC-8 aircraft as soon as feasible. (Screengrab Image: via Fox News video)

The first load will include emergency shelter material, household water filters, and two community water filtration units specially designed to turn saltwater into drinking water.

"Samaritan's Purse has been watching and preparing to respond to Hurricane Dorian. We are loading our DC-8 with supplies that we plan to take down as soon the storm clears, and it's safe to land," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "Families in the Bahamas are suffering and millions of others are bracing for Dorian's impact as the storm continues to move. Please join me in praying for everyone affected by this hurricane, and for our teams as we respond in Jesus' Name."

Hurricane Dorian made multiple landfalls across the Bahamas on Sept. 1 packing sustained 185 mph winds, with gusts up to 225 mph. Devastated locations include the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama. More than 10,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed.

The hurricane is still passing over the Bahamas, slowly headed toward the Florida coast. The storm now has maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, a Category 3 storm.

Parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina are under mandatory evacuation orders. The storm is expected to travel along the Florida coast today and Wednesday, reaching Georgia and South Carolina Wednesday evening, and then near to North Carolina later on Thursday and Friday.

As Hurricane Dorian continues to churn at ferocious speeds in the Atlantic, Samaritan's Purse is busy preparing a response on two fronts. Work is underway to bring help soon to the Bahamas, and US disaster relief personnel are positioned to respond quickly after the storm's assault on the continental United States.

Before its expected battering of the US coast, Dorian ripped through the Bahamas as perhaps the fiercest storm to ever hit the islands. At its full strength , Dorian was the strongest storm the planet has seen so far this year.

Samaritan's Purse is ready to send an international relief team to the Bahamas to facilitate the distribution of critically needed items such as desalination units, plastic/tarp, and other items. Please pray for Bahamians as Dorian passes.

Prepared for US Response

Labeled an "extremely dangerous" storm by the National Hurricane Center, Dorian is predicted to affect the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas with high winds, rain, and strong storm surge from Tuesday-Friday (Sept. 3-6). Samaritan's Purse is poised to send staff and disaster relief units to communities that will be in need.

Once given access to damaged areas, volunteer teams will assist with clearing debris and downed trees, tarping roofs, and cleaning out flooded U.S. homes. In addition to disaster relief units (stocked tractor trailers), supply trailers and heavy equipment are also on standby.

Samaritan's Purse already has been working for almost a year in the Florida Panhandle where residents are recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Michael. Following an initial disaster relief response, our teams continue to help by repairing and rebuilding homes.

Pray for people in the Southeast who will be affected to varying degrees depending on Dorian's size, strength, and track.

This is the fourth consecutive year that a Category 5 hurricane has formed in the Atlantic—a record without precedent. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

If you would like to donate toward Samaritan's Purse's relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, Click Here.