Several cities in Uruguay have been dealing with intense rains and flooding in November and December.
Videos and news reports show streets filled with rushing water in cities such as Artigas, Paysandú, Salto and Montevideo.
In some areas of Montevideo, upwards of 100 millimeters (almost four inches) of rain fell in just two hours. The mayor told La Nacion news: “The problem is that it rains in an hour what it rains in a month.”
In Paysandú, on the northern coast of the South American country, the Uruguay River flooded, causing hundreds of families to have to leave their homes, reported the Church’s Uruguay Newsroom.
The Church quickly provided humanitarian aid and Church members in the area — young adults, adults and missionaries — worked to serve those in need.
They collected and prepared one thousand kits for the Departmental Emergency Coordination Center (Cecoed) for those displaced by the flood. This included 400 food kits with enough food for a family for a month, 300 cleaning kits and 300 personal hygiene kits.
Paysandú Uruguay Stake President Diego N. Barate said that as Christians, they feel very happy to provide help.
“We feel that sad feeling, due to the situation that many of our brothers are experiencing here in the city, but at the same time we have a feeling of happiness at being able to give help,” he told El Telégrafo. Local television Canal 4 also interviewed him about disaster relief.
President Barate said that the donations will be delivered by the local emergency committee, who have registered the affected families.
He emphasized that the Church’s humanitarian aid has the purpose of helping people in need regardless of religion, nationality, politics, race, etc.