Relief teams feed 5,000 during Fargo flooding

FARGO, N.D. — Southern Baptist disaster relief feeding teams from the Iowa and Minnesota-Wisconsin state conventions prepared some 5,000 hot meals in Fargo, N.D., in support of the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army during the recent Red River flooding.

Some 175,000 metro residents of twin cities Fargo and Moorhead, Minn., were relieved when the Red River — which parts the two towns, flowing south to north — crested at nearly 41 feet, lower than the 43-foot level expected. At press time, the Red River had receded to to just over 30 feet, still above flood stage. But after heavy recent snow, rains and warming temperatures, the river may crest again in mid-April, authorities say.

At the beginning of April, the Iowa and Minnesota/Wisconsin feeding units were released to go home by Fred MacDonald, disaster relief director for the Dakotas. In addition, the North American Mission Board’s disaster operations center in Alpharetta, Ga., advised units on alert from Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas-Nebraska, Tennessee and Utah-Idaho that they also could stand down.