Hurricane Harvey's record-breaking rainfall and widespread damage in South Texas was unprecedented for a storm in the US. Seventy-seven people were killed, hundreds of thousands of homes were damaged, and thousands were temporarily displaced. Harvey dumped 27 trillion gallons of rain by the time the storm dissipated. Current estimates put total losses as high as $125 billion and 33 Texas counties declared a federal disaster.
Immediately, International Relief Teams shipped 625 disaster health kits to on-site partners providing support and temporary shelter for evacuees. Next, we purchased nearly $100,000 in ready-to-eat meals (9,216 meals) and delivered them to evacuation centers in hard-hit coastal communities. In addition, we sent five semi tractor-trailers filled with more than 21,000 gallons of bleach to help clean and sanitize homes and prevent the spread of disease, illness, and mold.
After the flood waters receded, we shipped truckloads of drywall, insulation, and roofing materials.
In 2018, we began sending skilled construction teams to Louisiana as part of a multi-year commitment to help those families, especially the poor, elderly and uninsured, restore their lives and their homes. In all, 79 volunteers repaired homes for 19 families throughout the span of IRT's recovery program for Hurricane Harvey.
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