Devastating floods in Arauca, Colombia
Megan Brandsrud The 2015 rainy season took its toll on Colombia. Heavy rains caused rivers to overflow in the Arauca Department of Colombia in late May. Approximately 30,000 people were affected. Houses, schools and health clinics, which were also being...
Lutheran Disaster Response at the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering
Megan Brandsrud During July 14 – 19, the Lutheran Disaster Response team and several dedicated volunteers were in Detroit for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering. Lutheran Disaster Response had the great opportunity to have an activity space in the Interactive...
South Dakota: Tornado recovery in Delmont
Megan Brandsrud A tornado tore through Delmont, S.D, around 10:45 a.m. on May 10. Delmont is a rural town in south central South Dakota with 140 housing units. Of those 140 homes, 48 were destroyed or severely damaged and 12...
Nepal Earthquake: Elim Kids Academy resumes classes
Megan Brandsrud Elim Kids Academy, a small Christian primary and secondary school in Kathmandu, was severely damaged in the April 25 and May 12 earthquakes that hit Nepal. Compound walls around the school collapsed and parts of the school need...
Nepal Earthquake: Distributions continue as monsoon season begins
Megan Brandsrud Six weeks after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that affected more than 8 million people hit Nepal, relief efforts are moving forward as fast as possible. The beginning of June marked the beginning of the monsoon season in Nepal, and...
Responding to the severe flooding in the southern plains
Megan Brandsrud Texas, Oklahoma and now Arkansas are experiencing severe flooding that started due to heavy rainfall and flash floods in the region during Memorial Day weekend. This has been the wettest May, or even month, on record for most...