Millions of people are facing a challenging week as flooding and possible tornadoes move into their regions. The American Red Cross is preparing to respond if necessary and urges people in the path of these weather systems to get ready too.

Flood watches have been issued for communities along the Gulf Coast where flooding has already occurred from earlier storms. As much as a foot of rain is possible throughout the rest of the week for people in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Meanwhile, severe weather, including tornadoes, is headed to the Midwest. The National Weather Service reports these storms will “pose an all hazards risk” for the next several days from the Midwest and Ohio Valley to New York ─ large hail, strong tornadoes and damaging winds. Gusts could be stronger than 75 mph and very large hail is likely.

RED CROSS RESPONSE Red Cross disaster teams are helping in Illinois and Indiana after the earlier storms that affected the area. Working with partners, the Red Cross has shelters open, meals and snacks are being provided and relief supplies are being distributed. Red Crossers are also helping along the Gulf Coast after Monday’s flooding. Floodwaters have gone down for now, but there is a concern that additional flooding may occur throughout the rest of the week.

As these latest weather threats move across the US, the Red Cross is working with officials and partners to coordinate response plans, identifying additional shelter teams and locations.

FIND A SHELTER  Find shelter locations on redcross.org, the free Red Cross Emergency app or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). You can also follow your local Red Cross or emergency officials on social media, sign up for free local government alerts or monitor local news.

You don’t have to stay overnight to get help. Anyone affected is welcome to stop by for a hot meal, to charge their phone and get other support. Red Cross shelters are open to everyone in need, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability or citizenship status.

If possible, we encourage people who plan to stay in a shelter to bring prescription medications, extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies, other comfort items and important documents. We do everything we can to accommodate service animals and pets comfortably in our shelters. Sometimes, pets may need to be housed in a different location with support from local partners.

STEPS TO HELP YOU STAY SAFE

Download the free Red Cross Emergency app for real-time alerts, expert advice in English and Spanish, and available disaster shelter and support locations. Search “American Red Cross” in app stores or go to redcross.org/apps.

• If you are in the path of severe weather, find the safest location at places where you spend a lot of time. A basement or a small interior room with no windows on the lowest level of a sturdy building is best.
• Mobile, manufactured, trailer homes and recreational vehicles (RVs) are not safe during storms. Plan ahead by finding a sturdy building where you can seek shelter.
• Stay informed about potential thunderstorms and tornadoes by monitoring local weather reports and signing up for free emergency alerts from your local government.
• If a tornado warning is issued, or if you suspect a tornado, go to your safe place immediately. Then use your arms to protect your head and neck.

FLOOD SAFETY Be prepared to evacuate immediately if local officials ask you to do so. Don’t return home until they say it is safe.

• Turn around, don’t drown! Don’t walk, swim or drive through floodwaters.
• Stay off the roads. If you must drive and you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and go another way.
• Follow evacuation routes and don’t try to take shortcuts because they may be blocked.
• If you’re caught on a flooded road and waters are rising around you, quickly get out of the car, move to higher ground and stay there.
• Check with loved ones and neighbors to see if they need help.

Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) Through the generosity of our American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and Disaster Responder members, the American Red Cross is prepared before disaster strikes. ADGP and Disaster Responder members help secure a reliable funding base for disaster relief services that enables the Red Cross to respond immediately, meeting the needs of individuals and families affected by disaster.

Mission Leader Members: Amazon; American Airlines; Bank of America; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; The Coca-Cola Foundation; Costco Wholesale; Dollar General; Ford Philanthropy; Lowe's; State Farm

ADGP Leaders: Anheuser-Busch Foundation; Caterpillar Foundation; Chick-fil-A; CMA CGM Foundation; Delta Air Lines; Enterprise Mobility Foundation; FedEx; Honda; Lilly Endowment Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Mastercard; McDonald’s Corporation; Merck; Nationwide Foundation; PetSmart Charities; The Pfizer Foundation; The Starbucks Foundation; Takeda; Truist Foundation; VSP Vision; Walmart and the Walmart Foundation; The Walt Disney Company; Wells Fargo Foundation

ADGP Members: ALDI; The Allstate Foundation; Altria Group; Aon; Baxter International Foundation; Bread Financial; Capital One; Citi Foundation; The Clorox Company; Danaher Foundation; Darden Foundation; Delta Dental; Edison International Foundation; Elevance Health Foundation; Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation; Fox Corporation;  GE Aerospace Foundation; General Motors; Google.org; Harbor Freight Tools Foundation, LLC; HCA Healthcare; The Home Depot Foundation; The J.M. Smucker Company; Johnson Controls Foundation; The Kroger Co. Foundation; Marathon Petroleum Corporation; Microsoft; Mondelēz International Foundation; New Balance Foundation; Northrop Grumman Foundation; PayPal; PepsiCo Foundation; Stryker; Suburban Propane; Target; The Winn-Dixie Company; The TJX Companies, Inc.; Toyota; United Airlines; UPS; USAA; U.S. Bank Foundation; Visa Foundation; The Wawa Foundation; Wesco; Wingstop Restaurants; Zoetis Foundation

Disaster Responder Program Members: 3M; 7-Eleven Cares Foundation; Adobe Foundation; The AES Corporation; Aflac; Albemarle Corporation; The Allstate Foundation; American Family Insurance; American Water Charitable Foundation; Ameriprise Financial; Assurant; Avangrid Foundation; Barclays; Bath & Body Works; Blue Cross Blue Shield Association; Build-A-Bear Foundation; Canadian National Railway; CDW; Charles Schwab Foundation; Cisco Systems, Inc. and Cisco Foundation; CNA Insurance; The Coca-Cola Foundation; CSX; The Deluxe Foundation; DENSO North America Foundation; DHL Supply Chain; The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation; Dollar Tree; Duke Energy; Dutch Bros Coffee; Edward Jones; Eli Lilly and Company Foundation; Enbridge; Equitable ; Erie Insurance; Farmers Insurance®; Fastenal; Grainger; HP Foundation; International Paper; Invitation Homes; John Deere; Johnson & Johnson Foundation; Keurig Dr Pepper; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; The Kraft Heinz Company Foundation ; L'Oréal Groupe; The Labcorp Charitable Foundation; Lenovo ; Liberty Mutual Insurance; LKQ; Macy’s, Inc.; Major League Baseball; Martin Marietta; Masco Corporation; McKesson Foundation; MetLife Foundation; Mutual of Omaha Foundation; NextEra Energy, Inc.; Nike Foundation; Norfolk Southern;  Northwestern Mutual; Old Dominion Freight Line; Old Republic; Pacific Life Foundation; Phillips 66; Pilot Company; Prudential; QBE Foundation; Qualcomm; Raymond James; RBC Foundation USA; Reckitt; Reynolds American Inc.; RGA Foundation; RTX; Ryder System, Inc.; Salesforce; Security Finance’s Lending Hand Foundation; ServiceNow; Southwest Airlines; Stanley Black & Decker; Sunbelt Rentals; T-Mobile; Tennant Company; Toyota Tsusho America, Inc.; Uber; U-Haul International; Uber; Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation; US Foods; Westlake Corporation; Yum! Brands; Zurich