Series of snowstorms cause major disruptions and damage

Extremely heavy snowstorms, together with torrential rainfall, began to hit Gongshan County (in Nujiang Prefecture, Yunan Province) on 13 February 2005. Between 14-23 February, a total of 262 mm of rain fell in this county, as well as a total of 960 mm of snow. By 25 February 2005 the death toll due to the inclement weather had reached six.

While the government relief work was well under way another violent snowstorm hit Nujiang Prefecture between 5 to 7 March 2005, followed by another heavy snowstorm on 11 March in the same area. All four counties in Nujiang Prefecture, including Gongshan, Lushui, Lanping and Fugong, were seriously affected by the worst snowstorms in one hundred years.

The snowstorms triggered devastating avalanches, landslides and mudslides along with severe frost damage. All communication links were broken between the Prefecture and the outside. Official records of 11 March 2005 for these areas mention 26 people killed and 3 people missing. Over 228,000 people were affected of which over 13,500 people had to be evacuated. There was also serious damage to agriculture in the form of crop losses and livestock killed. Houses collapsed, schools were damaged as well as irrigation systems.

During the same period, 17-18 February 2005, another heavy snowstorm hit the southern area of Xinjiang Urumgar Autonomous Region. The worst snowstorm in 30 years, accompanied by extreme temperature drops, buried the south of the autonomous region in snows as deep as 20 to 70 centimeters. According to official statistics, by 20 February the death toll here reached 8 with 2,263 injured due to the extreme weather conditions. 4,880 living quarters collapsed and 111,600 livestock had perished. The lives of a further two million head of livestock were threatened due to shortage of fodder.

ACT member Amity Foundation plans to assist about 5,000 families rendered homeless and seriously affected in Lanping, Fugong, Gongshan, Lushui counties in Yunnan Province and Pishan County in Xinjiang Urumgar Autonomous Region, as these areas were the worst affected by the snowstorms. Furthermore, the Fugong, Gonshan and Lushui counties were hit by flooding in June 2004 as well. These areas are inhabited by Nu, Lisu and Urumgar minority people and both churches and local authorities appealed for assistance very early in the emergency.The assistance will consist of distribution of relief items in the form of 15 kilos of food rice to 10,000 individuals in about 2,500 families; 2 quilts to about 2,000 families; 2 blankets to about 2,000 families. Furthermore Amity Foundation plans to assist 350 families with the rebuilding of their houses; 3 communities to rebuild school buildings; and help reconstruct 3,000 meters of irrigation canals and 3,000 meters of drinking water systems.

Amity Foundation works in close co-operation with its local partners, the Yunnan Amity Project Office and the Xinjiang Overseas Friendship Association. Amity also works in full co-operation with local government at county level.The project implementation period is set for one year: April 2005 to 31 March 2006. BUDGET

The ACT CO is in contact with Amity Foundation to finalize the Appeal.Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).