Recovery efforts have begun for hundreds of people who lost their homes to the deadly tornadoes that ravaged the South this week. They have, however, been significantly hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Workers are doing everything they can to help, from a safe distance. Because of social-distancing rules, volunteers can offer no sympathetic hugs nor can politicians give handshakes to those affected by this tragedy.
Within hours of the tornado’s attack, which began Sunday and killed over 30 people, many local church groups were out in their damaged communities. Southern Baptist volunteers were discouraged to hold hands with people while they prayed, according to Sam Porter, director of disaster relief for the denomination of nearly 15 million strong.
The Red Cross has used funds to temporarily house about 550 people in hotel rooms since mass shelters were not an option because of the coronavirus.
People affected are being fed catered meal that are being delivered to the hotels instead of a large kitchen and workers are wearing masks, gloves and other protective hear when coming into contacts with those displaced by the storms.
Vice president of Operations and Logistics for the American Red Cross, Brad Kieserman said,”How ironic is it that the very thing that may unify people and unify communities is the condition in which we have to remain 6 feet apart.”
The National Weather Service said preliminary assessments found evidence of at least 27 twister that claimed lives in at least 6 states. The strongest confirmed was in southeastern Mississippi. It was an EF-4 tornado with devastating winds as strong as 170 mph.
Hundred of homes and business were damaged or destroyed across the already suffering region, and heavy rains caused flooding in some areas. The economy was already faltering because of mandatory business closures and unemployment due to the pandemic. The storms have impacted the Southern state’s $3 billion poultry industry with 90 poultry houses damaged or destroyed.