Four weeks has passed since the 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Ludian County in Zhaotong, Yunnan, but many of the victims are still living their lives in the shelters. The post-earthquake rehabilitation is still a long way to complete.
Continue reading Ongoing Earthquake Relief Work in Zhaotong, Yunnan
The 6.5-magnitude earthquake that happened on 3rd August 2014 had a hypocenter at 12 thousand meters and followed by over 1,335 aftershocks. This earthquake has already led to 617 deaths, 112 people missing, 3,143 people injured, 80 thousand houses destroyed, and 1.08 million people affected.
Ludian County, one of China’s state-level poverty-stricken counties, lacks the capacity to build earthquake-resistant buildings due to the poor economic conditions. To make things worse, the quake happened in the middle of rainy season with an epicenter located in mountainous terrain, causing serious landslides, mudslides and landslide dam, thus lifting the severity of the disaster.
One week after the disaster, CEDAR staff and Yunnan Christian Council representatives entered the severely affected area of Longtoushan Town to conduct on-site assessment. The area is highly inaccessible and inhabitants of remote mountainous areas have not yet received any relief supplies from the government. With frequent aftershocks and amidst rainy season, quake victims are facing severe adversity with an immediate need for food and oil.
Moreover, the 47 prospective university students from the severely affected areas of Ludian County are facing additional uncertainties as September approaches. The earthquake has affected the families of this group of students on multiple levels, and some families are even seriously injured.
Disaster Relief Plan:
Ms. Tan Ping is one of the prospective university students who receives funding support. She is standing in front of her home that has been destroyed by the earthquake. Zhaotong church will continue to follow up and visit the families of these students to show continuous care and offer support.
Emergency and Relief Donation
Please make cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
(Please mark “Yunnan Zhaotong Earthquake Relief”)
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details.
[2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts.
[3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
Contact Method
Tel>23819627
Fax>23922777
Email>sharing@cedarfund.org
Add>G.P.O. Box 3212 Hong Kong
CEDAR’s Relief and Rehabilitation Work in Past: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief/
CEDAR Approach on Relief and Rehabilitation: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief-approach/
On 3 August, 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Ludian County in Zhaotong, resulting in over 380 death and 1,800 injured. It is the highest scale of earthquake hitting Yunnan in the past 18 years. Tens of hundreds of houses collapsed, included several schools.
CEDAR’s Yunnan office contacted Yunnan Christian Council (YNCC) and Zhaotong City Christian Council (ZTCCC) immediately after the quake to find out the updated situation. Staff from Zhaotong Church told us that the quake affected areas are still restricted from access. A heavy rain in the first night after the quake caused serious landslide. Relief materials such as shelters, quilts, dried food, drinking water and medicines are the most needed. In the coming week, CEDAR’s staff will head to the quake affected region to assess the situation and map out a concrete relief and rehabilitation response plan.
There are many ethnic minority groups, such as Huis (the Muslim) and Miao, living in Zhaotong, Yunnan. Most of them live by farming under desperate condition. In 2012, CEDAR worked with Yunnan Christian Council to deliver one-month food supply to 6,000 families in Yiliang County, Zhaotong, (a 5.7-magnitude quake hit this area on 7 September 2012).
Please earnestly pray for the situation in Zhaotong, Yunnan:
Emergency and Relief Donation
Please make cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
(Please mark “Yunnan Zhaotong Earthquake Relief”)
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details.
[2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts.
[3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
Contact Method
Tel>23819627
Fax>23922777
Email>sharing@cedarfund.org
Add>G.P.O. Box 3212 Hong Kong
CEDAR’s Relief and Rehabilitation Work in Past: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief/
CEDAR Approach on Relief and Rehabilitation: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief-approach/
The residents in Yiliang are poor. Many elderly villagers were moved to tears as they hold the food aid in their hands.
(For more photos, please click here)
Over a month after the quake happened in Yiliang, Yunnan in early September, where 700 thousand people were affected, many quake victims are still staying under rough shelters and even some of them have yet to receive any relief assistance. CEDAR has received the grant of 2.4 million from the HKSAR’s Disaster Relief Fund to support the quake affected victims. On 25 October, CEDAR team and Yunnan Christian Council sent a relief team to Yiliang, Zhaotong region to deliver the one-month food aid to 6,000 quake affected households in 15 villages.
CEDAR staff Alice, who has been helping facilitate the quake relief work, said, ‘Lots of houses have collapsed after the quake and the villagers are still staying under rough shelters. The blankets they received from emergency relief are soaked with rainwater. The victims are now facing the challenge of cold weather.’
In the first week of the relief operation, staff and volunteers finished 40% of the food aid distribution. This is the first time volunteers from Yiliang Church take part in relief operation. However, after the briefing and practice on the first day, they have been familiarised with the operation. In the third day, our relief team was even able to deliver food packages to 300 more households within less than three hours work. Praise the Lord!
Local staff and volunteers are now delivering the rest of the relief materials to other quake affected villages. The relief operation will be finished in early November. We are glad to see that not only have the needs of the quake victims have been matched, but also the capability of the Yiliang Church in responding to disaster has also been built up.
‘The residents in Yiliang are poor’ Fountain, a programme officer from CEDAR who has taken part in the quake relief work, shared, ‘many elderly villagers were moved to tears as they hold the food aid in their hands.’ Most of the people there are lived by farming. However, in recent years, the livelihood of villagers has become more and more difficult by the climate change. ‘They are used to growing grape, tangerine and Sichuan pepper. However, the fruits in recent years have rotten before they have time to ripen.’ Landslides caused by the quake and the loosen soil caused by rainwater have worsened the condition of the damaged houses, making them more susceptible to collapse. The only school in the village has been closed till next April.
‘Last Sunday, we passed through the most affected region. Seeing with my own eyes the quake-shattered cement plant, the boulders and remnant of landslides left on the road and the scene after serious landslides, I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been when the quake hit.’ said Alice. ‘It has happened over a month since the Yiliang quake, but there are still some victims staying in tents far away from the road with very little assistance. If we were in their shoes, I am sure we would agree that they definitely need our continual care and support.’
Fountain said, ‘Most of the Miao people there belong to the Hua Miao group. Christianity has had deep impact on their culture and way of life 100 years ago. I really hope that through the participation of local churches, China’s government could have more concern on the special need of Miao minority in the after quake rehabilitation.’
Pray for the quake relief and rehabilitation in Yiliang, Yunnan:
Act now to support the quake-affected people through financial assistance:
For enquiry:
Please contact our staff Alice Kwan and Jojo Poon at 2381 9627.
