Hurricane Matthew made landfall in the United States on Saturday, October 8, bringing up to Category 4 force winds, rain and storm surge to communities across the Southeast. And although the storm downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone by the time it reached the Carolinas, torrential downpours inundated already saturated terrain. In North Carolina and South Carolina, swollen rivers transformed thoroughfares into canals and homes into sodden islands, in some cases with only the roof or the windows peeking above the water.

For weeks after Hurricane Matthew hammered the Caribbean, the American Red Cross continued to support emergency relief efforts in communities devastated by the storm.

Heavy rainfall after the storm created worsening conditions including further flooding in areas already ravaged by Matthew. More people sought shelter and additional roads became inaccessible, making it increasingly difficult to reach hard-hit communities.

Nearly 200 American Red Cross staff members—over 90 percent of whom are Haitian nationals—supported global Red Cross network efforts to distribute temporary shelter supplies and other relief items, such as mosquito nets and kitchen kits. To mitigate the spread of cholera as a result of flooding, the American Red Cross also helped to distribute hygiene kits and cholera-prevention kits, specifically targeting medical facilities.

Additionally, we assisted the Haitian Red Cross with logistics, communications and financial resources, as well as supporting its key coordination role with local authorities and other humanitarian organizations. And we offered remote information management and mapping support to assist humanitarian workers on the ground.