International: The Salvation Army responds to flood crisis
18 February 2014
The Salvation Army is assisting many hundreds of people affected by ongoing floods across the south of England.
Persistent rain since before Christmas has left large areas of farmland and countryside under several inches of water, with storm-force winds and torrential downpours making a bad situation worse. In some areas rural roads have become impassable, leaving some communities completely cut off. Many hundreds of people have been flooded out of their homes, with thousands left without power.
In the Somerset town of Bridgwater, in the west of England, The Salvation Army has been on hand 24/7 to offer a listening ear to people affected by the severe weather. A place of safety and calm has been provided in two council-organised centres, and local residents have donated clothes and food. Other Salvation Army teams are on standby to provide assistance if required.
The Salvation Army's Hadleigh Farm, working with Essex Young Farmers, has sent animal feed and straw to farmers in the south-west.