The Amity Foundation

Last phase of mudslide emergency relief operation

The Amity emergency relief operation is drawing to a close, but Amity continues to work with local partners and victims of the mudslide that took place on August 8th 2010 in Zhouqu, Gansu Province. Now that we are approaching the mid-autumn festival, an important day for families to get together, we remember the victims who lost their lives in the landslide and the rescue and relief workers who are still on site.

Amity has continued to dispatch rescue crews and relief materials to Zhouqu County, Gansu Province. The sixth batch of relief materials arrived on August 27th, with supplies allocated and delivered to 1,648 households in seven villages, with the assistance of local partners and volunteers. On August 28th, the seventh batch of relief materials reached Huixian County with all supplies handed out the next day. Amity staff, assisted by the Director of  the Bureau for Civil Affairs of Huixian County, delivered the supplies to 660 households in Jiangluo and three other towns.

 The supplies provided by Amity were warmly welcomed by local villagers because of their practicality. In the process of procurement, special attention was paid to obtain articles for daily use and medical supplies. According to Amity’s criterion for allocation, each family would receive one bag of rice, one bag of flour, one can of cooking oil, two winter coats, five bags of sanitary towels, one set of stoves and cookers. The relief materials supplied by Amity reached a total amount of 16.5 tons of rice, 16.5 tons of flour, 3,300 kilos of cooking oil, 275 boxes of sanitary towels, 1,320 winter coats, 660 sets of stoves and cookers. Also an additional 240 sets of stoves are schedules for later delivery.

A warm thank you to all our friends who have been extending support to the victims of the mudslide through Amity.

Update on Amity’s relief efforts after the landslides in Zhouqu and neighboring areas.

Progress of Amity’s relief efforts since August 19

Additional assistance, including three trucks, departed for the Zhouqu disaster-affected area on August 19th, led by Mr. Qiu Zhonghui, Amity’s General Secretary. After a long journey through the night and little rest, Mr. Qiu and other members of Amity Relief Team immediately started unloading supplies with the help of locals, even children, who volunteered to help. On  August 20th, the Amity Relief Team delivered relief supplies to the affected villagers from home to home in Luojiayu, the most severely hit village in Zhouqu. When boxes of dried noodles, flashlights, rain boots and clothes, edible oil were handed to Luojiayu villagers, they said with tears in their eyes, that these goods are the most needed but least available, as shops are not open yet in Luojiayu. Two portable electrocardiograph were sent separately to the County Hospital and County Hospital for Maternal and Children Health Care the same afternoon.  

 Amity’s work in Chen County, August 20-25

Meanwhile, another Amity Disaster Relief Team rushed from Nanjing to Lanzhou on August 20th. Two trucks were used to deliver the first batch of Amity relief goods for Cheng County, which included 5 tons of rice, 10 tons of dried noodles, 12 tons of edible oil). Because there is still no electricity, Amity also distributed 6 Yamaha generators (2KW). Amity was able to assess the need in the area and found that clothing was the most lacking item, especially with decreasing temperatures. Therefore, the second relief effort  delivered to Cheng County brought 2500 suits of sports clothes and 2500 suits of cotton-padded clothes, arriving by August 24th.  

 Amity’s work in Hui County, August 24-25

As the relief effort continues in Zhouqu and Cheng County, Amity widened its efforts to include Jiangluo and Mayan Townships of Hui County. Since these areas are rural and remote, the local people are poorer and need the emergency aid urgently. Amity aimed to distribute by August 25th; one bag of flour, one bag of rice and 5 kilo of oil to each of the 280 affected households in Jiangluo and 180 households in Majiang. Additionally, Amity will monitor medical needs to regulate the spread of disease.

Hope for the area

According to our estimate, the first phase of emergency relief for the landslides was finished on Sunday 29th.

Your continuing prayers and support are highly appreciated.

Appeal and updates–Mudslide Disaster in Gansu

Dear friends of Amity,

You may have learnt of the devastating landslide that affected China in Zhouqu County, Gansu Province. Since the outbreak of the disaster, Amity has continually responded to the situation. The following is a summary of our relief work in the past few days;

August 7-8
Torrential rain triggered a landslide that hit Zhouqu, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Region in Gansu Province on August 7，2010. According to the rescue headquarters, by August 12, 1117 were reported dead and 627 were still missing.

The torrential rain began lashing the county at about 11pm on Saturday (August 7) and runoff from the downpour built up behind a landslide on the Bailong River, which rungs through the county seat town (China Daily).

August 9

A coordination meeting was held at the Nanjing headquarters to launch another relief effort that included contacting a local partner in Gansu, preparing for a site visit, making an appeal to the public for help, as well as involving local media in Amity’s work. Amity decided to allocate CNY 2 million as an initial grant for the relief work.

 August 10

 Ms. Tanhua, Assistant Director of the Relief Programme, together with Mr. Sun Qiang, reporter of Jiangsu News Radio set off for Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu on the August 10. All tickets from Nanjing to Lanzhou had been sold out and they had to take a detour to Shanghai in order to catch a flight to Lanzhou. Together with staff from Gansu Health Department based in Lanzhou, the team continued non stop overnight to Zhouqu, the landslide hit area.

August 11

The Amity team arrived in Zhouqu by noon and conducted an initial assessment. The team reported that electricity had been reconnected. The rain still continued, increasing the difficulty of an already treacherous rescue. Victims were sheltered in temporary shelters and  afraid of going back home, worrying about possible further landslides. At the moment, water and instant noodles could meet the needs of the victims. The social infrastructure is still in place, which should lay a firm foundation for further relief efforts.

News from relevant supporting agencies

Hong Kong SAR Government dedicated HK$3 million to Amity’s relief work through Amity’s office in Hong Kong.

Tencent, one of China’s biggest internet companies has offered CNY 1 million to support Amity’s relief work.

Some partners of Amity, including the United Church of Canada, Church of Scotland, United Methodist Church (USA)  have written to give their sympathy and solidarity to Amity in this situation.

We appreciate your care of, concern on and prayers for the victims in the landslide in Zhouqu.

With appreciations,

She Hongyu

Qinghai earthquake update (8)

Yet another batch of emergency relief goods from the Amity Foundation, the 8th of its kind, arrived in the Yushu region of Qinghai Province on 7 May. 70 tons of flour, 45 tons of rice, 18 tons of noodles, clothes, candles and CNY 520,000 worth of drugs were distributed in several places the same afternoon and on the following two days. The distribution was made difficult by bad weather, but Amity staffers, helped by villagers and volunteers, ensured an orderly process.

Qinghai earthquake update (7)

The 7th batch of disaster relief goods from Amity was distributed in the earthquake region of Yushu, Qinghai Province, on 1 May. 30 solar power devices, 1000 quilts, 1000 bedsheets and 1000 quilt covers as well as 100 boxes of candles and 1998 cartons of milk were delivered to Longbao Township. 250 canisters of cooking oil and 20 tons of rice were delivered to the racecourse area of Jyegu, 150 more canisters of cooking oil to another part of Jyegu. Villagers and volunteers helped with the distribution. The next morning, the Amity team set out to more distant parts of Longbao again, where soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army cooperated with Amity staffers to deliver the goods to earthquake survivors.

Qinghai earthquake: a letter from Global Ministries

Amity partner Global Ministries sent us a letter, which can be downloaded (PDF).

Qinghai earthquake update (6)

The 6th batch of Amity relief goods arrived yesterday morning, Monday 28 April, in Yushu. 12,000 liters of rapeseed oil and 9000 boxes of sanitary napkins were subsequently distributed to earthquake victims in Longbao Township. More oil, milk and rice as well as candles and 30 solar power devices are on their way from Xining.

Sandstorm hits Qinghai earthquake region; memorial service in Nanjing

A severe sandstorm has swept northwestern China, killing three in Xinjiang and making post-earthquake relief work in Qinghai more difficult. “This is the worst sandstorm I have ever experienced in my whole life,” said Amity’s Tang Chuanfang. “It is so strong that it’s impossible to keep one’s eyes open. We can only see two or three meters in front of us. We have kept our masks on all day long. Some tents have been blown away, some people were injured. It feels like we’re being blown away by the gale.”

On Sunday, April 25, a memorial service was held at Mochou Church in Nanjing. During the service, Amity staffer Kou Weiwei presented Amity’s relief work, which found great resonance among the congregation. At the end of the service, churchgoers donated a total of CNY 102,600 (ca. US$ 15,000) to support Amity’s relief work. Churches in Wuxi and Kunshan in southern Jiangsu Province have made generous donations, too, totaling CNY 70,000 (ca. US$ 10,250).

Amity’s relief work continues. In Xining, the Amity team finished purchasing goods for the 6th batch of relief materials, which will start its journey to Yushu tomorrow (27 April).

Qinghai earthquake: Life among the ruins of Yushu

More than 10 days after the earthquake of 14 April, Yushu is in ruins but disaster relief work has made good progress. The town’s horse-racing ground, which is now the biggest settlement for people whose homes have been destroyed, resembles a big bustling village. Some 30,000 earthquake survivors have found temporary shelter here. The area is covered by thousands of blue tents. People here have access to safe drinking water and food, which you can see people cooking all over the encampment.

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A week on: results of Amity’s earthquake relief work in Qinghai

Roads leading to the earthquake region around Yushu in Qinghai Province are covered by snow and ice, making transport difficult, and more snow is expected for Friday and Saturday. One week after the quake, which hit the region on 14 April, Amity has distributed:

• 1680 quilts
• 3140 cartons of drinking water
• 1365 cartons of instant noodles
• 45,000 sausages
• 27 tons of rice
• 10.5 tons of flour
• 50 cartons of candles