Hurricane Isaac Comes Ashore

Sustained winds of 80 mph, gusting to 100. Close to 500,000 people without power. Major flooding in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. August 29 is the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina seven years ago and now another natural disaster unfolds in Louisiana and across the Gulf coast -- Hurricane Isaac. Torrential rains and unrelenting winds left roads impassable, downing trees and power lines across the region. Isaac is now moving through the northern part of the state, leaving in its wake a powerful storm surge on the coast, flood-choked rivers and 56 Louisiana parishes in a state of emergency.

News reports indicate that many people who did not get flooded in Katrina are now finding their homes and businesses engulfed in water. Flooding is projected to be worse and even more extensive than originally expected. For many of the people affected, it is bringing back terrible memories of past hurricane disasters in the region.

Please pray for our Hope Force assessment team who journeyed to the storm area Wednesday. "We made it to Pass Christian, Mississippi last night but were unable to keep going, as the roads were impassible," explained Jack Minton, HFI President/CEO. "Even utility vehicles could not get through. Today we made it to New Orleans and are heading to Southern Louisiana right now. We have served in this region following other hurricanes and the community deeply impacted us. It had been completely overlooked and was in desperate need of assistance."

Hope Force is now staging relief equipment and supplies. The rest of the team and Reservists from Albany, Cincinnati, Atlanta, and Nashville, will be on site soon.

Please join us in our response efforts through a contribution toward team mobilization, relief equipment, tools and relief aid. Your partnership and support of Hope Force International will help us bring a compassionate response to crisis and disaster for those facing Hurricane Isaac?s destructive forces in Louisiana.