South East Earthquake and Tsunami disaster has caused great tragedy. Chinese Christian Relief Association has immediately sent seventy thousand US dollars to aid Indonesia and India’s disaster, and provided workers to help the native relief organizations with the work of rescuing victims. The Christian medical relief team, consisting of trained medical personnel from various Christian hospitals, will soon depart for Medan, Indonesia to carry the heavy responsibility of treating the victims.
According to news from the Rescue Relief Association’s first sent personnel, the disaster areas around Indonesia are the worst off. In the largest city that is closest to the disaster area, Medan, the airport is filled with victims. Military aircrafts have evacuated victims every half hour.
In regions like Aceh, plagues have broken out. People are dying from cold exposure. Many individuals with untreated injured limbs have experienced serious infection – requiring amputation. In one of the larger hospitals in Aceh, all available medical supplies and medications have been stolen. Before relief supplies arrived in the disaster zone, looting by starving survivors had broken out. On the road towards Aceh, rebel groups have ambushed relief convoy, robbing them of precious relief supplies.
Many bodies in the Aceh regions have remained unburied. Polluted water and salt are everywhere. Victims are leaving their homes, dashing hopes for rapid environmental cleanups and reconstruction. Currently, supplies in the disaster regions are insufficient, with a great lack in medical supplies, electricity, and gas. It is heard that the region of Meulaboh, south of Aceh, has a death toll of around forty thousandl.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Chinese Churches have fully mobilized for rescue relief work. The relief work’s main body consists of people from Sumatra’s biggest denominational Methodist church, Salt and Light Foundation, and virtually every Chinese Church in Indonesia.
Currently, the Christian Rescue Commanding Center has been established. It is now assisting the victims to evacuate, providing for water and food, clothes, and various rescue relief works. From Onelong and Jakarta, a medical relief team of 30 Christian medical personnel has already started rescue work at the refugee camp and Methodist hospitals. These rescue work will, in the next couple of days, expand towards Nias Island, near the epicenter of the earthquake.
Chinese Christian Relief Association has for the past days continually called churches and the public to mourn and pour out their heart of compassion by participating in the act of donating their time, money, and effort in aiding tsunami victims.
You can contact the Chinese Christian Relief Association:
Phone: 02-2776-9995
Website: www.ccra.org.tw
Donation Account Number: 19281908
Account Title: Chinese Christian Relief Association, Taking notes (South Asia Quake Disaster)
