One month into
China’s rainy season and flood related losses across the country are
already into the billions of dollars. Floodwaters and landslides have
inundated and leveled hundreds of thousands of homes, flattened millions
of hectares of standing harvest and decimated the livestock in 22
provinces. Over three million people have had to be evacuated.
According to the
Xinhua News Agency, severe flooding (the worst in 100 years) devastated
Guangxi Zhuan Autonomous Region between 18 – 17 June claiming 54 lives
and causing economic damage in excess of 840 million US$. Continuous
rainfall over the past two weeks has affected over seven million people
and all the major rivers in the area are flowing well above danger
level. 45,000 houses have been destroyed along with 410,000 hectares
of farmland. According to the International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies, the main reason for devastation of houses
is the poor quality of construction materials. Many of the farmers
are unable to afford proper materials such as cement, consequently,
many houses are built of mud-based sealant which is unable to stand
up to flood waters. Villagers who have been displaced are now living
in tents, provided by the Red Cross or the government.
Many of the people
most affected are subsistence farmers who are being pushed further
into poverty and destitution, not only because of the massive loss
of crops, but also the lost of their livestock.
Based on weather
patterns over the past years, the rainy season is expected to continue
until the end of August causing more problems in flood-prone areas
across the country.
ACT Appeal ASCN52,
issued 21 June, comprises an emergency relief and rehabilitation proposal
from ACT member the Amity Foundation for vulnerable flood affected
people in Xinshao, Lianyuan, Anhua and Xinhua Counties in Hunan Province
and Qingzhen Counties in Guizhou Province. However, the most recent
floods in Guangxi Zhuan Autonomous Region are more severe and Amity
wishes to provide emergency relief to this area.
ASCN52 will be
revised to include the emergency response to the flooding in Guangxi
Zhuan Autonomous Region. An advance of US$ 40,000 will be taken from
the Rapid Response Fund to be replenished from the appeal. However,
funding for the ASCN52 Appeal has currently only reached US$ 6,000
out of a requested US$ 515,634. We therefore strongly urge our donors
to consider funding this very urgent request.
