The Storms
Easter Sunday 2020 was an unusual one in that many churches met remotely or worshiped in a drive-in format. That evening and into the following morning, storms ravaged the southeastern United States, spawning 140 tornadoes stretching from Monroe, Louisiana to Seneca, South Carolina. Thirty-two people died in the storm, which caused more than $3 billion in damage.
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| MNA Disaster Response staff members Mike Kennamer (Warehouse Manager and Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama Regional Specialist), Keith Perry (Florida Regional Specialist) and Marty Huddleston (Logistics Specialist) confer during a break in the action at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (Photo Credit: Mark Casson) |
Chattanooga
Just before midnight on Easter Sunday, a tornado that grew in strength to EF3, and traveled just over 18 miles in 18 minutes, damaged 2,718 properties with monetary damage totaling approximately $225 million in the Chattanooga area. More than 250 structures were destroyed and 259 sustained major damage. Two people were killed; 18 were injured.
Local churches mobilized quickly, doing everything from providing food to those impacted to cutting fallen trees and tarping damaged roofs.
MNA Disaster Response staff came alongside churches to help them minister to their neighbors. At the MNA Disaster Response Warehouse, we were busy deploying supplies to locations all across the Southeast, including providing eight Sheds of Hope to Covenant Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga.
Months after the storm subsided, MNA Media Producer Don Baret traveled to Chattanooga to chronicle the relief efforts in the Chattanooga area. His first report is shown here.
