Samaritan’s Purse sending relief to victims of typhoon Vanuatu
International Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse now has relief teams on the ground in the cyclone-ravaged South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. At least 11 are now confirmed dead in Vanuatu while thousands of others are homeless after the massive storm that hit over the weekend.
“People there desperately need water as well as shelter and medical help. We are getting those supplies there as quickly as possible,” said Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham. “This is a remote part of the world, and we want them to know that we love them, God loves them, and they are not alone.”
typhoon victims photo provided by Samaritan’s Purse
This is a global effort for the Boone, N.C.-based organization, which is sending disaster response experts from their offices in the U.S., Australia, Cambodia and the Philippines.
“This is a major disaster,” said Patrick Seger, the Samaritan’s Purse response team leader who has been assessing the damage in the capital city of Port Vila and other small islands. “Food crops have been destroyed, fruit trees have been stripped, pigs and chickens were swept away. Most of the buildings were damaged or completely flattened.”
The organization is working to bring in more than 70 tons of supplies, including shelter materials, clean water supplies and cooking kits. The hospital in Port Vila has been overwhelmed with patients. To help, a team of Samaritan’s Purse doctors and nurses with supplies will be meeting critical needs by doing mobile medical care in the area.
Samaritan’s Purse responds to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations—especially in locations where few others are working. Led by Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution. For more information, visit www.samaritanspurse.org.
