23rd April, 2013
Humanitarian agencies are rushing aid to Sichuan province in south-western China as last weekend’s earthquake, variously reported as having a magnitude of 6.6 to 7, claimed the lives of at least 188 people with thousands more injured.
About 1.5 million people were affected by the quake which has an epicentre about 160 kilometres south-west of provincial capital, Chengdu. It comes in the wake of a devastating 2008 earthquake in the province which claimed the lives of almost 90,000 people.
Among those responding to the current crisis is World Vision which was expected to deliver 4,000 hygiene kits to survivors on Monday.
"We will be distributing hygiene kits and child-friendly kits to those who are homeless," Meimei Leung, head of the organisation’s emergency response said earlier this week. "Our pre-positioned relief supplies allow for our response to meet the needs of children and their families as quickly as possible."
World Vision is co-ordinating its response with government authorities.
– DAVID ADAMS
