On April 20, 2013, an earthquake measured at magnitude 7.0 struck Lushan county, Sichuan Province, China, shortly after 8 a.m., leaving at least 156 people killed and thousands more injured. In that evening, Tzu Chi US Headquarters immediately called its regional directors in the United States for a meeting, discussing on fund raising drives for relief purposes.
Immediately after the quake hit, Tzu Chi has urgently set up a disaster relief coordination center in Sichuan, prepared relief materials and begun relief efforts. In the night of 20th, a group of volunteers entered the severely hit Mingshan County and distributed bread, blankets, etc. to 400-plus students in the Mingshan First Middle School. With 10,000 blankets and 10,000 daily necessity kits ready, Tzu Chi volunteers further advanced to the heavily damaged area on the next day (April 21), and will carry out emergency distribution at any time.
After a huge quake devastated Sichuan in 2008, Tzu Chi has cared for the disaster areas ever since. Tzu Chi helps to rebuild 13 schools in the cities of Chengdu, Deyan, Mienyan and Ya’an. The two schools that Tzu Chi built in Mingshan, Ya’an, are the Advance Tzu Chi Elementary School and the Mingshan First Middle School.
When the earthquake hit on 20th, a regional sports meet was in progress in the Mingshan First Middle School. Over 1,000 students and athletes were immediately evacuated. Yet more than a hundred athletes were unable to go home due to traffic interruption and are temporarily staying in the school.
Tzu Chi volunteers brought them bread as well as heart-warming care, which is a great comfort to those students still shaken by the earthquake. Tzu Chi disaster relief coordination center has 10,000 blankets ready as well as toothbrush, toothpaste, towels and other daily necessities. Another group of volunteers will enter one of the most heavily damaged areas for disaster assessment, in order to provide immediate and practical care and assistance.
Tzu Chi volunteers around the United Stated are encouraging their friends, families and colleagues to send love to those affected by the earthquake and contribute whatever they can. On April 27 & 28, the volunteers will also do fundraisings on the streets or in shopping malls. Details on the fundraising locations in your community can be seen at Tzu Chi website www.us.tzuchi.org
The most updated relief information can be found on Tzu Chi website or Facebook page.
Website: www.us.tzuchi.org
Tzu Chi Facebook: www.facebook.com/SichuanEarthquake420.
SOURCE / Tzu Chi Foundation