From April to August 2010, Mainland China has suffered from earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and landslides causing great loss of human lives and property damage. With deep concern for the disaster victims, Supreme Master Ching Hai asked our local association members to go to the disaster areas, and offered financial assistance to help those in need.

Earthquake

On April 14, a powerful 7.1 earthquake struck Qinghai Province’s Yushu County claiming the lives of over 2,000 people and injuring more than 10,000. The following day, our Association members delivered rice, flour, cooking oil and coal to the disaster areas, and prepared vegan lunch boxes for the victims. A few after that, many more of our fellow initiates from all over the country arrived in the devastated areas to render assistance, including increasing the number of hot lunch boxes to thousands. The lives of the quake-affected people gradually improved by mid-May.

Flood

Hunan Province: During the latter half of April, continuous heavy rains fell in Hunan Province affecting nearly one million people. On May 1 and 2, our Association members arrived in the towns of Liaotian and Guanshi, Hengnan County to provide aid to the local people. They purchased and distributed large amounts of rice and cooking oil to all those in need in addition to giving cash to the poorest families. The “Say No to Meat” flyers highlighting the vegan solution to global warming were given to the villagers and also presented to the county officials who accepted them with gratitude. A few these officials have promised to help spread the message of how our diet has a significant impact on climate change and asked that their fellow citizens lead a more compassionate, eco- friendly way of life.

On May 6, a record rainstorm, the biggest in one hundred years, hit Loudi City in Xinhua County, causing flash floods and severe damage to the land. On May 11, our Association members purchased 8 tons of rice and delivered it to those affected by the disaster in Shuanglin Village, Fengjian. Knowing that the villagers were in urgent need of more food as all of the crops had been washed away by the flood, our fellow initiates purchased another 10 tons of rice to be distributed by the local officials once the roads were repaired. They also visited 4 families who had lost loved ones in the flood and presented them with financial assistance.

On June 8, heavy rain deluged Luxi County affecting almost 200,000 people. Within a few days, our Association members purchased and handed out rice, cooking oil and bottled water to 43 families in Shuika Village, Jiefangyan. They also offered cash assistance to those whose homes were destroyed by the rain. The town government party officials requested several hundred copies of the vegan flyer to pass out to the villagers to encourage them to adopt this Earth-saving lifestyle. On June 15, our fellow initiates traveled to the worst hit area in Panguyan Village, Tanxi where 17 families had lost their homes to the flood. They distributed rice, cooking oil, instant noodles and bottled water as well as cash assistance to the victims.

Guangdong Province: Since May 5, torrential rains have overwhelmed the northern and eastern regions of Guangdong Province causing flood damage in many areas. Between May 15 and 17, our Association relief teams traveled to Shaoguan City in Wengyuan County and Shixing County to deliver rice, cooking oil and clothes to the people in the five most affected villages. They provided special care to the poor, the elderly and the needy.

Fujian Province: A record storm hit the Sanming area on June 14. Taining County suffered the greatest damage with over 100,000 people being affected. On July 17, our Association's relief team traveled to the worst hit Sandi Village in Shang qing County and offered RMB20,000 (approx. US$3,000) to the most needy storm-afflicted.

Yunnan Province: On June 25 and 26, Malong County was struck with a violent rainstorm destroying nearly all the houses in Xiaohaizi Village. After checking with local officials, our Association members purchased urgently needed cooking oil and distributed it to 50 families in to two stations, Xiaohaizi Village in Yuwang and Dalongjing Village, Tongquan. To a nursing home, they delivered 40 barrels of cooking oil and gave each resident RMB100 (approx. US$15). On July 13, Xiaohe Town in Qiaojia County was also hit by a sudden rainstorm causing severe damage. Our fellow initiates immediately purchased and transported quilts and clothing to the disaster site. They left the supplies with a government agency for later distribution to the villagers.

Jiangxi Province: On July 4, our Association members traveled to Changkai Town and Luozhen Town in Fuzhou City which were hit by the June 21 flash flood. They distributed bottled water and heat-stroke medicine to the residents. A government agency has also started to give monthly cash assistance and rice to the flood victims, providing basic security to people’s lives.

Jilin Province: Since July 28, many areas in Jinlin Province have been hit by rainstorms and floods. After checking with those affected, our fellow initiates purchased quilts, clothes, shoes, cooking utensils, detergent, food and bottled water, which were distributed along with cash to those most in need.

Tornado

On May 6, Dianjiang County and Liangping County in Chongqing were hit by a category 12 tornado, claiming many lives and causing severe damage. The government quickly brought relief aid to these areas thereby stabilizing people’s lives. Our Association members distributed cash to 56 families in Hanling, Qingping, Huilong and Anju Villages, Liangping County, as well as 215 families in Shuangtang and Anping Villages, Dianjiang County to help the victims rebuild their lives.

Mudslide

On August 7, a severe storm took 1,239 lives with 505 still missing as mudslides were set off in Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Zhouqu County, south of Gansu Province. According to local officials, the people were in urgent need of water, food and immunization supplies. Since the traffic was strictly controlled, our fellow initiates left RMB10,000 (approx. US$1,500) with the Department of Civil Affairs and RMB20,733 (approx. US$3,068) with the Red Cross for later distribution to the disaster victims.

 * Throughout the relief work, fellow initiates paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation.

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To view the Humanitarian Relief Activities by the Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association, please visit: http://www.GodsDirectContact.org.tw/humanitarian (The list can be sorted by year, country/region and type of events.)