Geneva, 10 June 2005
Torrential rains from 31 May to 6 June have triggered flooding which has turned vast areas of southern China into muddy lakes, razed mountain villages and destroyed more than 76,000 housing units and damaged 234,000 units according to OCHA. From early April heavy rains had lashed provinces/municipalities across southern China including among others Hunan, Guizhou and Sichuan. As of 6 June 2005 over 17-million people had been affected by floods, including many who lost their homes or were forced to flee the flooded areas. The death toll has topped 200.
According to China's Meteorological Bureau, strong rainfall is expected to pound the Yangtze River, China's longest river, in the coming ten days triggering more floods and landslides. The usual rainy season for the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River will follow immediately after. Local authorities across the country have been ordered to mobilise resources to battle the floods and ensure major rivers and reservoirs are not breached. However, flood prevention structures on the Yangtze have already been damaged by floods earlier in the year.
ACT International member the Amity Foundation is planning to assist the most vulnerable people affected by the flooding in Xinshao, Lianyuan, Anhua and Xinhua Counties in Hunan Province and Qingzhen Counties in Guizhou Province. These locations have been selected as they are the areas worst affected by the flooding with Xinshao county being the most severely hit where the worst mountain torrents in local history have left scores dead and thousands homeless.
Amity plans to provide medicines against diarrhoea, vomiting and colds; food rice to 2,500 families (ca 10,000 persons); quilts (2,000 families); mosquito nets (3,000 families); reconstruction materials for 500 houses and six schools; and assist in the reconstruction of 5,000 metres of irrigation canals for a total cost of around US$522,000.
An appeal is currently being processed. We would be grateful for indications of any funding.
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).
Thank you for your attention.
For further information please contact:
ACT Director, White Rakuba (phone +41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone + 41 79 203 6055) or
ACT Program Officer, Elsa Moreno, (phone +41 22 791 6420 or mobile phone +41 79 608 8133)
ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org