International agency Oxfam has sent out two teams of aid experts to earthquake hit Quinhai and Sichuan provinces in China. The teams have been sent from the agency’s offices in Lanzhou and Chengdu in Sichuan and the neighboring province of Gansu.
The teams will be distributing 2,000 blankets and 2,000 rolls of plastic sheeting for emergency shelter in Yushu County and Shiqu County in Sichuan. Some 600 tents will also be sent to the disaster area.
“Qinghai is one of China's poorest provinces. Poverty is the key reason why people are vulnerable to disasters and more likely to suffer during such events. To make matters worse, the high altitude and thin air of Yushu County has made rescue work difficult.
“The biting cold weather has also posed huge challenges. During this season, the temperature could drop to below zero. Oxfam has prioritised sending blankets and emergency shelter for the survivors,” said Wei Mingtao of Oxfam Hong Kong.
Poverty is the key reason why people are vulnerable to disasters and more likely to suffer during such events.
Wei Mingtao
Oxfam Hong Kong