IsraAID’s Rescue Teams Helping In Flooded Houston

This article was first published by The Times of Israel and was re-posted with permission.

A team of volunteers from an Israeli aid group were making their way to Texas on Tuesday, seeking to provide emergency assistance to relief efforts as a massive storm pummeled the city with severe flooding.

Seven members of the IsraAID non-governmental organization flew to Houston, where they will join three other members of the group who were already in the United States when Hurricane Harvey brought torrential downpours over the weekend, flooding homes and causing widespread damage. Harvey was later downgraded to a tropical storm.

IsraAID co-director Navonel Glick told The Times of Israel that among the group are disaster management experts, mental health experts, and engineers. They will focus on coordination of relief work and provide basic needs including stress relief activities and recreation for those impacted by the disaster.

“The biggest challenge is always coordination in situations like these,” Glick said.

IsraAID provides emergency relief and debris removal assistance to communities in South Texas affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. Courtesy of IsraAID

The disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with the nation’s fourth-largest city mostly paralyzed by the storm that has parked itself over the Gulf Coast. With nearly two more feet (60 centimeters) of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches (76 centimeters) in some places, authorities worried the worst might be yet to come.

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Photos: IsraAID