HUNDREDS of people were killed and thousands of homes flattened
after an earthquake struck Sichuan province, in China, at the
weekend.
Christian charities and churches are distributing relief
supplies, including hygiene kits, to the thousands of people made
homeless by the earthquake.
The charity World Vision is in the area distributing aid, and is
preparing to set up "child-friendly spaces" to provide a safe place
for children to play in and receive psychological support.
The earthquake, which measured 6.6, killed 200 people, injured
11,500, and forced 245,000 people to flee their homes. At the
epicentre, in the village of Longmen, in Lushan County, 99 per cent
of the homes collapsed, a report from the UN said.
Hundreds of aftershocks have since been felt in the region,
adding to the trauma of survivors.
"We are witnessing mass devastation, homes flattened, children
homeless, and livelihoods wiped away," the head of World Vision's
emergency response team in China, Meimei Leung, said on Tuesday.
"People are huddled in tents along the roadside, and near the
stadium."
Churches in the region are raising funds for victims, and
offering prayer support.
The Bible Society reports that the number of Christians in the
region has increased to about 80,000 since the last earthquake in
the same area (
News, 22 May 2008).
In 2008, an earthquake measuring 8 struck the province. Nearly
70,000 people died, and 4.2 million were left homeless. Another
20,000 people are still missing.
Many churches in the region were damaged in the latest quake.
Jock Foo, from the Bible Society's China Partnership, said:
"Amazingly, one church in Ya'an, near the quake's epicentre,
remained intact, and is now being used as a refuge area."
The government has sent thousands of troops to the region to
help with aid and rebuilding efforts.