Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region and then moved through Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Tennessee, killed more than 60 people and left millions without power. In response, Christian organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse and the Salvation Army quickly mobilized to provide relief during critical natural disasters in the southeastern United States.

The hurricane, which initially made landfall as a Category 4 storm, brought devastating winds, heavy rainfall and widespread flooding, particularly severe in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The damage is catastrophic.

As of Sunday, at least 63 people had died in Helene’s five states, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Get our latest news for FREE

Sign up to receive daily/weekly emails of top stories (and special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to find out.

State officials said at least 20 people died in South Carolina, including two Saluda County firefighters. In Georgia, the death toll has reached at least 17, with two fatalities due to the Alamo tornado. The number of confirmed deaths in Florida rose to 11, including several drownings in Pinellas County. In Virginia, one person died in Craig County when a tree fell due to the storm and a building collapsed.

Franklin Graham, who heads both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, said on social media: “This storm is huge. Pray for the safety of all who cross her path.”

His organizations offer both physical assistance and spiritual support to affected communities.

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has dispatched chaplains to the hardest-hit areas, including Tampa and Perry, Florida, Valdosta, Georgia, and the High Country, North Carolina, the group said in a statement.

These chaplains provide a ministry of presence in shelters such as the one in Fletcher, North Carolina, and also offer support in affected hospitals such as Watauga County Hospital in Boone.

Josh Holland, international director of BG-RRT, described the scenes across the states as “almost unfathomable.”

“We often prepare for storms and watched Hurricane Helene come ashore. Nevertheless, the consequences of this disaster surprised many. The scenes we are witnessing in many states are almost unfathomable,” Holland said.

Similarly, Samaritan’s Purse said it was taking action in five key locations in the Southeast. The group’s efforts are centered around the base in Perry, Florida, where the hurricane first made landfall with winds of 120 mph. Additional bases were established in Valdosta, Georgia, and in the High Country of North Carolina, including Boone, where Samaritans’ Purse is headquartered.

“Samaritan’s Purse helps with storms and crises around the world every day, but now the storm has hit in our own backyard,” Graham said, noting a personal connection to the storm’s impact.

The organization is also helping in the Asheville, North Carolina, area where rivers have flooded, causing significant damage.

Volunteers from across the country are being gathered to help with recovery efforts, including house mudding, tree clearing and other important activities to help affected homeowners, he said.

Convoy of Hope is another Christian group making significant contributions, especially in Perry, Florida, which suffered multiple hurricanes last year. According to an update on the company’s website, a drive-thru distribution service for groceries, water and hygiene kits has been launched.

The group quoted a Perry resident as saying: “It was like an earthquake.”

“We are so grateful to have you here,” said Pastor Dave of First Assembly of God Church in Perry. “I told my friends, ‘Help is here.’ You are amazing.

The Salvation Army also was proactive, deploying 10 mobile feeding units immediately as the storm approached and putting an additional 35 on standby. These units serve up to 1,500 meals a day to those affected, the group said in a statement sent to The Christian Post.

“In times of crisis, we stand with struggling communities,” said Kenneth G. Hodder, national commander of The Salvation Army.

By late Saturday, The Salvation Army’s efforts included providing meals at several shelters across Georgia and supporting meals for local disaster workers.

Moody’s Analytics estimates that Helene caused between $15 billion and $26 billion in property damage in affected states, and more than 3 million people are still without power.