Vincentian Asks for Disaster Relief in China

Following Earthquake in North West China, Fr. Joseph Loftus, CM asks for our support to purchase rice and flour for 1,200 families in the worst effected area, ie Bachu county. 28th February 2003
Dear Confreres and Friends,
Re:  Recent Earthquake in North West China.
By now you will have heard about the earthquake that struck Northwest China on Monday. As this is a sparsely populated part of the country, the fatalities were limited but for those directly affected their sufferings have been no less overwhelming. The effects of the disaster have been compounded locally by the general poverty of the area and the poor communications.
I work with a Catholic Charity, Beifangjinde. We have been monitoring the situation and trying to establish the best response. From our contacts we have been able to establish that Monday’s devastating quake, which rocked Bachu and Jiashi counties at 10:03 am with a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale, killed 266 people and also left more than 2,050 people seriously injured. It flattened more than 8,800 houses and 900 classrooms, according to the latest report from the region.  The hardest-hit area was Qongkurqak, a farm town where officials said 240 people died. They said 90 percent of the town’s 30,000 residents were left homeless. The survivors have to live outside in freezing weather as after shocks, which have already killed 4 people, continue to affect the region.

For more information visit the site of the Irish Vincentians http://www.vincentians.ie/China_EarthquakeJL.htm