An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale rocked the north-western part of China on 24 February 2003, bringing devastation to a total of 9 counties in Kashen Prefecture and Xinjiang Urumgar Autonomous Region. Bachu and Jiashi are the two worst affected counties. Hundreds of people were killed, villages were flattened, water and power supply facilities were totally destroyed, schools, clinics and other public facilities collapsed.

A second earthquake measuring 5.8 Ritcher scale struck again the same region on March 12, creating more terror among the panic stricken people, and bringing further destruction to the affected communities. 80 percent of the homeless families have moved to either tents or make-shift shelters. However, in spite of all the efforts made, there are still homeless who do not have access to proper shelters and enough quilts. These people are suffering the intense cold and high winds in rough make-shift shelters made of plastic sheeting.

ACT member, the Amity Foundation, is already assisting the affected population with their own resources and is proposing to provide further assistance to 16,750 most vulnerable people through:

• Food aid
• Tents
• Reconstruction of houses
• Reconstruction of community infrastructure

Project Completion Date: 6 February 2004

Signed by:
John Nduna, ACT Acting Director
Elizabeth Ferris, Co-ordinator, Diakonia & Solidarity, World Council of Churches
Robert Granke, Director, Department for World Service, Lutheran World Federation

For full details of proposals and budgets, please click below to download a PDF file of the entire Appeal.

China - Assistance to Xinjiang Earthquake Victims - ASCN31 (file size: 40 Kb)

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