Colorado Flood Crisis: Relief Staff Deployed to Disaster Zone

As the disaster continues to unfold, we will work with our partners to meet the needs of ill, injured and displaced survivors
Garrett Ingoglia, AmeriCares VP, Emergency ResponseAs rescue efforts continue for survivors in flood-ravaged Colorado, AmeriCares emergency response staff has deployed to the hardest hit areas, to assess immediate needs and connect with partner organizations helping communities affected by the devastation.”Our relief worker is on the ground assessing urgent needs,” said Garrett Ingoglia, AmeriCares vice president of emergency response. “As the disaster continues to unfold, we will work with our partners to meet the needs of ill, injured and displaced survivors.”Unusually intense late- summer storms battered the state from September 9-13, funneling raging torrents of water down narrow mountain canyons into heavily populated foothills. Continued heavy rains in the area have severely hampered rescue operations. The historic flooding inundated 15 counties across at least 2,380 square miles. According to state officials, Boulder and Larimer counties suffered the worst damages.  Photo by REUTERS/Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Air National Guard/Handout via ReutersThe flood waters washed out dams, swamped roads, damaged more than 18,000 homes. More than 30 bridges were destroyed, and 20 more severely damaged, stranding thousands. So far, more than 2,000 of the stranded were rescued by air and more by ground. Nearly 12,000 people have been evacuated, and 24 emergency shelters have opened across the state. The floods have claimed 8 lives, and more than 600 people remain unaccounted for.AmeriCares emergency response to flood disasters often includes medicines to treat flood-related health conditions, family emergency kits including hygiene and personal care items for displaced survivors, household cleanup kits with supplies to help families returning to their flood-damaged homes, as well as medicines for patients with chronic diseases who don’t have access to their medications while they are displaced.Donate Now