Thousands Feared Dead in China Earthquake

CHINA EARTHQUAKE
“Things here are changing so fast…the sheer scale and loss of this is hitting people…”

May 18, 2008

Aftershocks continue to shake Sichuan Province — including a 6.0 magnitude earthquake early Sunday morning, the latest in a series of more than 4,400 tremors in less than a week — causing landslides, disrupting telecommunications and blocking roads in already-devastated areas. Fears of flash floods and weakened dams are also hampering already-difficult relief operations.

Mercy Corps is on the ground assisting survivors. We have procured critical supplies such as water, noodles, milk and shelter items, and have sent them to families in the devastated city of Mianyang. We are now beginning to plan for longer-term recovery and reconstruction, and are especially focused on education, counseling and activities for youth. You can give now to support relief efforts for a disastrous situation that’s still unfolding.

Photos: Reuters/Stringer, Reuters/Stringer, Reuters/Aly Song; courtesy of http://www.alertnet.org

Monday’s 7.9 magnitude tremor, which was focused in China’s Sichuan Province, is estimated to have killed at least 22,000 people — and that toll has continued to rise dramatically as rescue teams reach the most affected areas. In cities near the earthquake’s epicenter, thousands are buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

The Chinese government estimates that at least 436,000 homes have been destroyed, and there are reports that almost five million people are homeless.

Mercy Corps, through its local partner China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), is mounting an emergency response for survivors. Together, we are procuring critical supplies such as food, water, clothing and shelter supplies to rush to affected families. We have deployed two experienced staff members from our Beijing office and one staff member from Seattle to help coordinate efforts. Two more team members are on their way to support the response.

Mercy Corps is also coordinating shipments of much-needed pharmaceuticals and other critical medical supplies to affected areas.

On Thursday, Janis and another team member helped CFPA set up a temporary relief office in the city of Chongqing, from which they are coordinating relief efforts.

“Things here are changing so fast,” Janis said. “The sheer scale and loss of this is hitting people…they’re predicting 50,000 deaths now.”

Janis and her team is also discussing plans for longer-term programming with another local partner, the All China Youth Federation (ACYF). There are great needs for temporary schools, counseling and other activities for children in earthquake-shattered rural areas. ACYF has begun translating Mercy Corps’ Comfort for Kids program materials into Mandarin Chinese. Comfort for Kids has been used in post-disaster situations such as the U.S. Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina and Peru after a massive earthquake there.

Mercy Corps has been assisting families and vulnerable communities in China since 2001. One of our programs — Project GLOW — is centered in Sichuan Province, the epicenter of the earthquake. We have confirmed that our staff and partners in the area are safe.
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It is unfortunate that certain “Tibet activists” have taken advantage of this tragedy to attack the Chinese people even more.

The Chinese, both Han and Tibetan, have suffered greatly as a result of this earthquake and deserve our sympathy.