Spring storms effect Finger Lakes Region; Red Cross opens shelter

Severe flooding and mudslides in Yates County call for emergency action

PENN YAN, N.Y., Thursday, April 28, 2011—Spring storms are ravaging states in the South and Midwest, but yesterday New Yorkers experienced a taste of the rough weather in the face of tornado warnings, drenching rains, and flooding.

The Red Cross of the Finger Lakes Region has dealt with two major incidents related to the weather; in the town of Waterloo yesterday, five families were assisted when their homes flooded due to heavy rains. Yesterday evening, residents of Middlesex were inundated by heavy rains that resulted in knee-deep mudslides, prompting the Red Cross to open a temporary emergency shelter.

The Red Cross is prepared to handle spring weather in extreme forms, including severe flooding, mudslides, tornadoes, and other disasters. The organization maintains contracts with partners throughout the region to ensure that shelters can be opened in strategic locations depending on the affected area.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization—not a government agency—and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.rochesterredcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.