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| China earthquake: Red Cross Red Crescent launches appeal for 20 million Swiss francs 15 May 2008 As the scale of devastation in Sichuan becomes clearer, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has today launched an emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss francs (USD 19.3 million / € 12.4 million) to support 100,000 survivors over the next 12 months. Local Red Cross volunteers and staff have already been very involved in rescue and relief efforts, explained Qinghui Gu, the International Federation’s regional disaster management delegate in China. “(The Chinese Red Cross) yesterday sent five medical teams to provide emergency assistance to thousands of people injured in the earthquake,” said Gu, who traveled to Beichuan county in Sichuan following the earthquake as a member of a Red Cross Red Crescent assessment team. The focus of the appeal is to support the efforts of the Chinese Red Cross in the region. The Red Cross has dispatched two emergency relief teams to two of the very worst affected areas to distribute aid and set up tents for people who have lost their homes. Already, local volunteers have distributed about 650,000 Swiss francs (USD 615,000 / € 398,000) worth of tents, quilts and food. Emergency relief will form the focus of the first phase of the proposed operation, helping to purchase, amongst other things, 3,000 tents, 100,000 quilts, 100,000 food parcels and 2,000 boxes of water purification tablets. The funds will also support the deployment of additional Red Cross medical and first aid teams, with the goal being to have 10 such teams operational in the affected region. The appeal will also support longer term recovery efforts, explained Dr Thomas Gurtner, director of programmes and coordination for the International Federation in Geneva. “Immediate relief is vital,” he said. “But at the same time we need to begin looking beyond this critical phase and towards helping people get back on their feet.” To this end, the second phase of the operation will focus on supporting the reconstruction of at least 1,000 homes. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake – the worst to hit China in 30 years – rocked the south-western province of Sichuan on 12 May. At present (15 May), official government estimates suggest that more than 16,000 people were killed, though many more remain trapped or missing. With access to some of the worst affected areas still difficult, the full picture might take days to become clear. For the full appeal document and for more information on the Red Cross Red Crescent response visit http://www.ifrc.org/what/disasters/response/sichuan-earthquake/index.asp For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact: Matt Cochrane, media officer (Geneva) Tel: + 41 79 308 98 04 Francis Markus, spokesman (Beijing) Tel: + 86 139 100 96 892 Media unit duty phone (Geneva) Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81 The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 186 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. © International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |
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