05/22/2008

News / United States Increases Humanitarian Assistance to China, Burma

Assistance team to help Chinese with rescue equipment

By Merle D. Kellerhals Jr.
Staff Writer

Washington -- The United States has stepped up humanitarian support to China in the aftermath of the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan province, providing more than $815,000 in assistance that includes specialized search, rescue and recovery equipment, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

"As part of this effort, a nine-person USAID team of specialists will travel to China to train local rescue workers on the use of this equipment. This brings total USAID assistance to China to more than $1.3 million," the agency said May 19.

The equipment is expected to arrive in Chengdu, the capital of the mountainous province, May 21. It will include saws, hand tools, hydraulic gear, concrete cutters, generators and personal safety equipment, USAID says.

President and Mrs. Bush visited the Chinese Embassy in Washington May 20 to sign a book of condolences for China's earthquake victims.

"We've come to express our country's condolences for those who mourn for the loved ones. We stand ready to help in any way that the Chinese government would like," Bush said.

"Natural disaster is very hard on many of your people. And we extend our deepest sympathies and pray for recovery and pray for the strength of those whose lives have been torn apart during this terrible tragedy," he said.

On May 12, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Wenchuan County in China's Sichuan province. Aftershocks have continued, but in lessening magnitude, authorities have reported. China began an official three-day mourning period for earthquake victims May 19.
Grieving Chinese couple
A Chinese couple mourn the death of their son, buried under collapsed buidlings in Mianyang, Sichuan province, May 15. (© AP Images)

According to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, the earthquake caused approximately 500,000 buildings to collapse throughout the province.

"USAID will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate with the government of China in order to provided needed assistance to those affected by the earthquake," the agency said. Assistance is being provided to China as the government makes requests of the United States, but USAID and the U.S. military stand by to deliver additional assistance, U.S. officials say.

In addition, the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is providing satellite images of the earthquake-stricken areas of Sichuan province to the Chinese government to assist in damage assessments. The imagery support follows two U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster cargo jets that flew supplies into China May 18. The cargo, delivered to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, included food, water containers, blankets, lanterns, generators and hand tools from U.S. military relief stocks in Hawaii and Guam, the Pentagon said May 19.

The Chinese government said the number killed has reached 40,000 and another 32,000 are missing, according to state news agency Xinhua. Chinese authorities previously said they expected the final death toll to exceed 50,000.

U.S. AID TO BURMA CONTINUES

From May 16 to May 19, the U.S. Defense Department conducted seven flights of USAID relief supplies -- including plastic sheeting, water containers and hygiene kits -- from Utapao, Thailand, to Rangoon, Burma's largest city, according to USAID. The relief supplies, valued at approximately $414,400, were handed over to nongovernmental organizations, which are providing the supplies to the Burmese.

To date, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team and Defense Department have completed 31 airlifts of emergency relief supplies from Utapao to Rangoon, to provide assistance to more than 106,000 people, USAID says. The Pentagon says that to date the humanitarian flights have delivered 330,000 kilograms of water, food, mosquito netting, shelters, medical supplies, hygiene supplies and other relief.

Burma began a three-day mourning period May 20 for those who died in Cyclone Nargis and its aftermath. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has placed the number of dead between 63,000 and 101,000, according to USAID, and 220,000 missing. The Burmese government has placed the death toll at 77,700 and the missing at 55,900.

The total number of people displaced by the cyclone and its subsequent storm surge stands at 550,000, according to the United Nations. And the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that international aid agencies have reached an estimated 500,000 Burmese, which is about 20 percent of the cyclone-affected population.

USAID said that, to date, the United States has provided $19,153,746 in humanitarian assistance to Burma.

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