Mercy Relief’s (MR) disaster response team returns from Qinghai today, having completed a 10-day disaster relief deployment there. With kind assistance from the Qinghai Civil Affairs Department and the Qinghai Poverty Alleviation and Development Bureau, the five-man team personally arranged for $80,000 worth of relief supplies comprising food, winterwear, paediatric medicines and children’s Play Packs to be despatched to earthquake-ridden Yushu Prefecture.

The 7.1 Richter earthquake, with 1,380 aftershocks, has claimed at least 2,220 lives, and left 12,135 injured, with 70 still unaccounted for. Qinghai is currently experiencing snowfall, with temperatures dropping to sub-zero readings after nightfall.

Loading of Relief Supplies

Priority Requirement – Food supplies ready to be despatched to the affected areas

IMG_0404

Loads of Relief – Much needed winter wear for the survivors facing sub-zero temperatures

The team also met with Qinghai’s Deputy Governor Wang Ling Jun to report on MR’s disaster relief efforts and to present the note of condolence from MR’s Advisor, Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi, to the Governor and people of Qinghai.

in conversation with Deputy Governor Wang

Mercy Relief’s Chief Executive Hassan Ahmad in meeting with Qinghai’s Deputy Governor Wang Ling Jun

Recounting the meeting with Deputy Governor Wang, Mercy Relief’s Chief Executive Hassan Ahmad said, “We were surprised when Deputy Governor Wang informed us that Mercy Relief was the only foreign NGO that was involved in the relief efforts and extended his gratitude to all the Singaporeans who have donated to the quake relief. We were also amazed by his familiarity with young Mercy Relief’s post-Wenchuan earthquake reconstruction works in Sichuan earlier. He invited Mercy Relief to continue our engagement there for the rehabilitation phase.”

More than 110,000 survivors are currently displaced due to the pervasive devastation of buildings in Jiegu Town. Mr Hassan added, “We told Deputy Governor Wang that funds permitting, Singaporean and Chinese hands would certainly join again to help the many survivors rebuild their lives, hopefully before the next winter.”

Over at the Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital, the team visited an earthquake survivor, Mr Bideng, a 63-year-old retiree who had been warded with a broken left rib cage and injuries to his face, arms and shoulder.

Jf with victim

Mercy Relief Head of International Programme, Abdul Jaffar, consoling 63-year-old quake survivor, Mr Bideng

The Chinese-speaking Buddhist Tibetan told the team he was at home with his wife in Jiegu Town when the earthquake struck. They were buried under the rubble for hours before being extricated by rescuers. Mr Bideng’s wife also suffered from a broken rib cage and was recuperating in another ward. They consider themselves very fortunate to still be alive, considering none of their neighbours survived the disaster. They are now looking forward to the reconstruction of their house and hope for a quick return to normalcy.

About Mercy Relief

Mercy Relief is a Singaporean humanitarian organisation which engages in both disaster relief and sustainable development programmes. It was established in 2003 as an independent non-governmental humanitarian charity responding to the human tragedies in Asia. Mercy Relief’s aid programme focuses on providing timely and effective assistance to disaster-stricken communities and has maintained the delivery of emergency aid within 72 hours from the point of appeal for assistance.  

In the past 12 years, Mercy Relief has disbursed over S$32 million in aid across 40 disaster relief and 53 sustainable development initiatives. Mercy Relief has impacted an aggregate of 2 million lives in 24 countries and areas, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal,  Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Yemen.

For more information, you may call us at 6514 6322 or email corporateaffairs@mercyrelief.org

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