PORTLAND – American Red Cross volunteers from the Portland-Vancouver metro area will begin heading to flood-affected parts of Louisiana this week to help manage shelters, provide emergency financial assistance, health care, mental health services and transportation services as communities there grapple with the disaster.
Volunteers from Battle Ground and Vancouver will go to Louisiana, the regional Red Cross said, as part of a group of 17 that includes volunteers from Oregon’s Medford, Silverton, Florence, Salem, Portland, Lake Oswego, Wolf Creek, Keizer, Williams and Turner.
The flooding had killed at least 11 people as of Tuesday, according to Louisiana officials, and the Red Cross said more than 8,400 people sought help in at least 35 community shelters Monday night.
The Red Cross said it’s sending more than 60 disaster response vehicles, nearly 40,000 meals and more than two dozen trailer loads of shelter and kitchen supplies.
The Red Cross encouraged people interested in helping out or donating to visit redcross.org.
