Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 24 July 2026

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Tropical Storm Bertha races toward a second landfall along the Texas coastline

Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall in southeastern Louisiana before moving back over the northern Gulf and is now tracking toward the Texas coast with arrival Thursday, July 23^rd at nightfall. Although the storm has weakened to maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, it continued to produce tropical-storm-force winds, heavy rain, coastal flooding, dangerous rip currents, and storm surge along portions of the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center warned that storm surge combined with high tide could raise water levels 1 to 3 feet above normally dry ground from Mississippi to parts of costal Texas. Officials across the Gulf Coast urged residents to complete storm preparations early, review emergency plans, and stock essential supplies before conditions deteriorated.

Analyst Comments: While Tropical Storm Bertha is not expected to be a major hurricane, it serves as a reminder that lower-strength storms can still create significant disruptions for faith-based organizations. Flooded roadways, power outages, and dangerous travel conditions can affect worship services, ministry events, and outreach programs with little notice. Having clear procedures for communicating schedule changes, accounting for staff and volunteers, and determining when facilities can safely reopen helps reduce confusion during rapidly changing conditions. Organizations that routinely serve vulnerable populations may also see increased requests for assistance following a storm, making it important to understand local partnerships and available community resources before they are needed. Finally, leaders should remain alert for disaster-related scams and fraudulent donation requests, which commonly increase after severe weather events as criminals attempt to exploit communities focused on recovery.