CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Continuous rains since March have caused extensive flooding in 20 provinces of central and southeast China. Action by Churches Together (ACT) has described these flood waters as "the worst in living memory." The flood has reached levels unseen since the 1954 floods which killed more than 30,000 people.
ACT reports "grave loss to life and property" with many areas hit again and again leaving no opportunity for the people to recover. ACT is a worldwide network of churches, including the Lutheran World Federation, meeting human need through coordinated emergency response.
ACT has issued an appeal for $514,750 to provide relief and rehabilitation in Jiangxi, Fujian and Hunan -- three of the four hardest- hit provinces -- through Amity Foundation, an ACT member. The Amity Foundation is a Chinese Christian-initiated voluntary organization that aims to promote health, education, social service and rural development. ACT has already sent $25,000 from its Rapid Response Fund, and some ACT members, the Hong Kong Christian Council and Church World Service, USA, have sent contributions as well.
Amity Foundation seeks to provide emergency food, clothing, medicines and other necessary items to those who have lost all means of survival. They hope to help build new homes for those left homeless and to help the most vulnerable communities restore rural primary schools, water conservation projects and irrigation infrastructures that have been destroyed in the floods.
Amity has already provided nearly $100,000 of assistance in the form of rice, blankets, clothing and other necessities to 60,000 flood victims in the three provinces.
The impact on human life inflicted by the current floods has been grave, ACT reports. "The tens of thousands of houses that have been flattened belonged to poor farmers who could not afford to build solid and strong houses for their families. Now, with the crop loss and the destroyed farmland, they are facing a struggle for survival. It will be very difficult for them to achieve any sort of security and rebuild their homes without help. The floods have resulted in the economic situation being taken back 10 years."
According to ACT, "The damage to irrigation facilities will severely impact agricultural activities, affecting the crop yields for years to come. Reconstruction of the facilities calls for huge investments, which are usually beyond local communities and the local governments. The destruction of roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure will take a great deal of time and immense resources to rehabilitate, holding up the normal development of the area and again adding to poverty. At present, insufficient food and difficult conditions on the dikes are threatening and wearing down those who have lost their homes. These people have been staying in shanties made of plastic sheets."
For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director 1-773-380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
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