Disaster
In a few minutes, your life can be torn apart. Winds, rain, waves or shaking can take away everything you love. Or over a few months or years, your home can become unsafe.
We walk with our neighbors through every stage of the disaster cycle. CWS programs help people prepare for the worst, making plans and gathering supplies. When an emergency happens, we team up with other responders to meet immediate needs. And when the time is right, we shift our focus to long-term recovery. When people are forced from their homes, we work hard to make sure they have safe and dignified lives.
The road to recovery and safety may be a long one, but no one should walk it alone.
When the Land turns to Liquid
A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, in September 2018. It triggered tsunamis and a phenomenon called liquefaction, when the ground literally turns to liquid. It moved entire villages, swallowed houses and destroyed infrastructure.
We immediately began to mobilize a response. Soon we were delivering water to thousands of families each day, distributing critical supplies and promoting hygiene among displaced families. As weeks turned to months, we focused on helping families build transitional shelters, build or repair water systems, and build sanitary bathrooms.
Latest Updates
Situation Report: Flooding Response in Eastern Kentucky
Appeal Code: Situation Following severe storms and heavy rainfall from late July, eastern Kentucky has been devastated by deadly flooding. Many of these communities were still recovering from recent tornadoes and flooding, making them highly vulnerable during the storms. Today, the American Red Cross reported that about 1,400 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged due to the flooding. The …
One Year Later, Haiti Continues to Heal
Scroll through the photos to learn about our Haiti recovery response In 2021, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing over 2,000 people. The quake added to the existing instability in a country that had already been reeling from political violence and pandemic-exacerbated hunger and poverty. When a disaster of this magnitude affects a region, it not only harms the structure …
A Closer Look into Our Tana River Drought Response
In Tana River County, Kenya, when drought spread and crops and livestock died, immediate action was needed. We partnered with Canadian Foodgrains Bank to provide emergency food rations to 3,000 families (15,000 individuals). To understand the severity of the droughts and the impact of our program, we spoke with the members of the community. The effects of the drought were …