Today our field partners in China sent us the following report:
Yesterday the Ministry of Health gave us permission to import and disburse as many supplies as we can get our hands on to all of the stricken areas. We are scrambling to supply needed aid to those volunteers and other relief workers to keep up the rescue efforts. Even at this late stage we still have people going through rubble, though this first phase is sadly slowly winding down. Today some of our staff and volunteers are out in Mianyang working in the warehouse there, while most people are simply walking up the mountain tracks, trekking through landslides to bring relief to isolated communities.
More of our efforts are now focused on helping shocked and devastated survivors with food, water and shelter. Also, prevention of disease is becoming very important. Some ten million dead livestock – sheep, cattle, horses, chickens – are lying around rotting away. They pollute water and spread disease. Sanitation and clean drinking water are now top priorities. Already there are increasing numbers of cases of stomach trouble and dehydration through diarrhea.
Another issue is the continuing danger from aftershocks. Since Monday we have had 145 major aftershocks and the latest one last night measured 6.1. The government warns of more heavy shocks to come. An emerging problem is the damage these shocks do to dams at hydro-electric plants. If a dam breaks it may cause major flooding, causing more devastation. Yesterday a large number of refugees from Beichuan had to be brought further away to Mianyang in a hurry because a dam in the vicinity was in danger of breaking.
We are becoming tired and sometimes despair at the scale of the devastation surrounding us. The official statistics as of last night are: 29,000 dead, 199,000 injured, about 4.5 million people displaced.
When you partner with Giving Children Hope in the relief efforts to China your support will be going to aid this community. Please donate to our China Relief Efforts.
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Giving Children Hope, in partnership with Union Rescue Mission, have sent a second shipment of disaster relief to the Star of Hope Rescue Mission in Houston, TX. This shipment is in response to the damage Hurricane Ike left behind.
Giving Children Hope, in partnership with Hungry Children Project, sent aid to the Dominican Republic today.
