Report
from mainland China
[Shanxi]
In 1998, Mainland China experienced
its worst flooding in more than a hundred years. The ruthless disaster
devoured everything - flood victims were even deprived of daily necessities.
Upon learning this news, fellow initiates provided aid to the unfortunate
in the form of financial support and relief supplies. All put forth
their best effort in offering whatever they could with a loving heart
to the victims in need.
Thank
you for the 12,296 RMB (Mainland China dollars) and seventy-nine bags
of clothing and other relief items received on September 1, 1998.
They have been delivered to the most severely stricken areas in the
city.
The persistent downpour in Chifeng since the start of the rainy season
has caused a severe flood disaster rarely seen in history. The heavy
casualties and damage to personal possessions and local farming include
3.85 million acres of farmland submerged, over 70,000 houses destroyed,
and 1.62 million people affected (with more than 60,000 homeless).
The damage to local industry, transportation, communications and utilities
has led to a direct loss of more than two billion RMB.
In our most difficult time, your care and friendship extended to the
victims and generous contribution financially and through relief supplies
have provided us with selfless assistance and sincere love. This noble
deed of charity and fraternity has deeply touched all the local residents
and also encouraged reconstruction and restoration efforts. On behalf
of the region's 4.46 million residents, the China Communist City Council
of Chifeng and the City Government of Chifeng, we would like to extend
our heartfelt thanks and respect to those individuals and organizations
who gave a helping hand when we were most in need.
Under
the guidance of the Chinese Communist party and the government, people
in the flooded regions are keeping up their hard work and spirit of
independence to accelerate reconstruction and minimize losses from
the flood so that we may fully recover from the disaster and repay
your kind assistance with real actions. 
Regards,
China
Communist City Council of Chifeng and City Government of Chifeng
