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May 14, 2008
Donate to
Disaster Relief
Efforts in
China
On Monday, May
12, at 2.28 p.m.
Beijing time
(6:28 GMT), a
major
earthquake,
measuring 7.9 on
the Richter
scale, jolted
southwestern
China's Sichuan
Province.
Several
lower-scale
earthquakes and
aftershocks
followed in the
same area. The
quake destroyed
many buildings
in the area, as
well as
infrastructure
like
communication
towers.
According to the
latest reports,
more than 12,000
people have died
and many more
have been
injured or are
missing. Many
schools were
destroyed,
including one
that had at
least 900
students in it.
As authorities
reach more
remote areas,
these numbers
are expected to
rise.
American Red
Cross
Immediately
after the quake
struck, the Red
Cross Society of
China (RCSC)
began to
mobilize a
relief operation
for this
disaster. The
American Red
Cross has been
in touch with
the RCSC and the
International
Federation of
Red Cross and
Red Crescent
Societies, and
stands prepared
to provide
including relief
supplies,
delegates or
financial
assistance, as
needed.
The RCSC
immediately
mobilized its
staff and
volunteers, as
well as relief
supplies, such
as tents, quilts
and other
materials.
Already,
volunteers and
staff from the
RCSC have been
distributing
food, water and
tents to people
in the affected
area. Assessment
teams are on the
ground to
determine the
extent of the
damage.
On May 12, the
International
Federation
allocated nearly
US $240,000 from
the Disaster
Response
Emergency Fund (DREF)
to help the RCSC
deliver
immediate
assistance.
To donate to the
relief effort by
the American Red
Cross, please
visit
http://www.redcross.org/news/in/profiles/Intl_profile_ChinaEarthquake.html
Unicef
There are an
estimated 12
million school
age children in
Sichuan
Province. More
than 2 million
of them live in
the most damaged
prefectures,
according to
UNICEF
Communication
Officer Dale
Rutstein, who
asserts that it
is “no longer
possible to keep
track of the
number of
schools and
public buildings
that have
collapsed,
burying many
children and
adults under
rubble.”
“We’ll be
looking to
immediately tend
to the
casualties, the
people who are
injured,” said
Mr. Rutstein.
“But the biggest
concern of ours
right now is we
just don’t know
how big this is
going to be.
Sichuan is one
of the most
populous
provinces in
China, and it’s
one of the
poorer provinces
in China. So
we’re quite
fearful it’s
going to get a
lot bigger.”
Prior to the
earthquake,
UNICEF China had
been
implementing its
programs
extensively
throughout
Sichuan
Province. In the
worst affected
counties, UNICEF
implements early
childhood
development,
HIV/AIDS, child
protection and
local planning
projects.
Funds generated
for the response
to this disaster
will most likely
be used for the
early relief
phase as well as
the longer-term
recovery and
development of
quake-affected
communities.
To donate to the
relief effort by
Unicef, please
visit
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/china_43935.html
Chinese
Consulate
Checks can be
made payable to:
“Chinese
Consulate
General in New
York”
Memo:
“Earthquake
Relief Donation”
Address: Chinese
Consulate
General in New
York c/o Liu Lei
520 12th Ave,
New York, NY
10036;
Tel: 212-244
9392
Ext. 65306; and
1000
Please provide
your name and
address and the
Chinese
Consulate will
send everyone a
receipt.
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