More than 35,000 Chinese Red Cross staff and volunteers and 87 rescue and medical teams have been distributing tents, food, water, clothes and medicine around the clock to survivors in the earthquake-affected areas. They have also been heavily involved in the rescue and treatment of the injured and those pulled out alive.
"There are so many dedicated volunteers on the ground helping people in need," says Francis Markus, spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in Chengdu. "Many of them have lost members of their own family, their homes, and livelihoods too, but still have been working non-stop since the earthquake happened."
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake which devastated the south-western province of Sichuan on 12 May has left more than 32,400 dead, 220,100 injured and 4.8 million people homeless, according to the emergency response office of the state council, as of 18 May. Many local Red Cross branches and local government staff have also been buried, injured and killed by the quake.
A total of 312 million rooms have collapsed and 15.7 million rooms have been damaged in the affected areas. As several families often live in the same home in China, damage is assessed by the number of rooms impacted by the earthquake.
The most earthquake-affected province is Sichuan, however the earthquake also affected seven other provinces and municipalities - Gansu, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Yunnan, Shanxi, Guizhou and Hubei provinces. Relief items are being transported to affected areas, but the road conditions in many places are still difficult to navigate due to frequent aftershocks.
It is estimated that local communities will need to stay in temporary shelters for up to one year in some of the hardest hit areas. In Mianyang and Deyang, Red Cross plans to set up a field hospital and temporary schools, which could last for six to 12 months to serve the needs of the local community until more permanent structures are built.
"Many people have lost their parents, spouse or children. Coupled with losing their homes and personal belongings, the psychological needs for survivors are enormous. Supporting the emotional recovery of survivors is urgently needed and the Red Cross is incorporating this support throughout its operations," says Amgaa Oyungerel, regional health delegate for the International Federation in Chengdu.
To help people during this time of high emotional stress, the local Red Cross has mobilized two teams to provide psychological support to survivors and relief workers. The teams will also provide training for Red Cross volunteers so they can provide additional support to survivors coping with post-disaster trauma.
For further information, to set up interviews with our experts, or for photos of the Red Cross Red Crescent operation, please contact:
Jenna Clarke, media officer (Geneva) Tel: + 41 79 308 98 30
Francis Markus, spokesman (Beijing) Tel: + 86 139 100 96 892
Media unit duty phone (Geneva) Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
People's Liberation Army soldiers keep watch as China's national flag flies at half-mast at Tiananmen Square in Beijing May 19, 2008. China began three days of national mourning on Monday for ...
