The 7.1-magnitude quake at 7:49 am on 14th April local time , which struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu of Qinghai Province and followed by a 6.3-magnitude aftershock at 9:25 am, had left serious building damage and at least 2,220 dead and 70 missing, as of 5 p.m. 25th April.
The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) launched the 2nd level Disaster Response Pre-plan in the morning of 14th, April which was raised to the top level in the afternoon of the same day according to the disaster situation. A batch of tents, quilts and winter coats worthy of RMB 1 million was transported to the quake-hit Yushu from Ningxia Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Center. Meanwhile, the Red Cross Society of China launched the Emergency Appeal to the public to donate in cash and in kind to actively participate in the disaster relief activities for Yushu.
As of 12 a.m. 26th April, the RCSC has collected RMB 939 million of relief funds and goods for quake-hit Yushu prefecture, among which there are RMB 695 million in cash and RMB 244 million in kind. RMB 233 million has been delivered to the quake-hit area, among which RMB 190 million in kind and RMB 43 million in cash.
Red Cross in Action
An assessment team led by Mme. Hao Linna, the Vice President of the Red Cross Society of China, left for Qinghai from Beijing on 14th April and arrived at the seriously damaged Jiegu Township at 8:30 am on 15th April. There Mme. Hao Linna exchanged opinions on fight against the earthquake with local government and reported the practical situation and needs back to the HQs timely. On 15th April, the RCSC decided to allocate a second batch of earthquake relief goods worthy of RMB 1.3174 million from Ningxia Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Center, including 500 winter tents, 4000 quilts, 4000 winter coats and RMB 400,000 emergency relief fund.
At 8:00 pm on 20th April, a large-scale charity performance called "Our Heart Cares for Yushu, Heavy Love Has No Boundary" co-organized by the RCSC and its partners, through which the RCSC raised donation upwards of RMB 800 million.
During the 3 hours of the charity performance, the RCSC hotline 65139999 opens 43 lines at the same time and answered 7,434 calls in total against the practical incoming call flow is 150,000. On 21st April, the hotline still opens 40 lines and the estimated amount of the incoming call answered of the whole day was upwards of 10,000.
Meanwhile, during the live broadcast of the performance, the visiting flow of the RCSC website was sharply increased. There were 3000 on-line donations through the RCSC website which was 6 to 7 times of day-to-day amount.
On 25th April, the RCSC Executive Vice President Mr. Wang Wei arrived at the quake-hit Yushu. Wang Wei visited the Hunan Red Cross Water Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Yunnan Red Cross Toilet ERT. Wang Wei also inspected the distribution of the RCSC relief goods and visited the students of Yushu Orphan School. At the water providing station of the RCSC Water ERT, Wang Wei drank the on-the-spot purified water which was the success of the ERT members after overcoming the high altitude, the low air pressure and the cold weather.
Wang Wei expressed that the RCSC will do all they can do to provide services to the people affected by the disaster and actively participate in the reconstruction and recovery.
RCSC Branches Support to the Affected-area
Since the happening of the Qinghai Yushu Earthquake, the RCSC system carried out different ways of fundraising to support the quake-hit area. The support from different circles of the society came together, moving on and on.
As of 12 am 22nd April, the organizations at all levels of the RCSC have collected RMB 887 million of relief funds and goods for the quake-hit Yushu prefecture, among which there are RMB 711 million in cash and RMB 176 million in kind. RMB 194 million has been delivered to the quake-hit area, among which RMB 165 million in kind and RMB 29 million in cash.
On the morning of 21st April, the medical team of Taiwan Red Cross Organization rushed to Golmud to provide medical services to the affected people after two days participation in the medical relief activities in the First People's Hospital of Xining. On 21st April, the Qinghai Red Cross Branch organized 9 volunteer teams to transport winter tents, quilts, winter coats, food, water and medicine worthy of RMB 10.8 million to the quake-hit area. As of 26th April, the Qinghai Red Cross Branch has collected in total donation in cash and in kind upwards of RMB 130 million.