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Post-earthquake relief efforts are stepping up in China's Qinghai province. The latest count from the 6.9 magnitude earthquake is that 617 people have died, 9,980 are injured, and another 313 remain missing. The hardest hit areas are 15 hours by road from the nearest city, and freezing weather and high winds have made the situation that much worse. The high altitude of the area is slowing down some of the relief efforts, and thousands of people are left homeless and facing casualties. They are waiting for help—here are a few ways you can support efforts to get it to them. Thanks to the Huffington Post for their list, some of ideas from which we've borrowed here.
The China Youth Development Foundation, which built mobile earthquake relief schools after China's May 2008 earthquake, has sent one million yuan ($146,480) worth of medicine and supplies to affected areas, and the need will continue to increase.
The Tibetan Village Project is flying to the affection region from Chengdu to coordinate local NGO efforts. HuffPost says: Their work will promote sustainable reconstruction of the area and provide aid to any schools that have been affected in Qinghai.
The China Charity Foundation has sent a first batch of tents, which local government has stated is the first priority, to the quake-affected zone.
MSF, or Doctors Without Borders, is sending a team to see how they can help with immediate medical and non-medical needs, as well as psychological support.
ShelterBox has sent one of its China-based response team members and is working to determine the greatest needs and how it can best help to meet them.
Mercy Corps is already in Qinghai province. Donations can be made to the China Earthquake Fund.
WorldVision is sending an assessment team and hygiene tools. Donations will help to provide immediate aid like food, water purification tablets, shelter, hygiene products, and more.
Oxfam is sending supplies from its stock in Chengdu, and is working with the government to determine how else it can best help the situation.
AmeriCares is sending rapid response teams to provide medicine and other disaster relief in affected areas. (They're doing the same for victims of the cyclone that hit India.) Donations can be made online.
Give2Asia works with local charitable groups, like the China Charity Federation (CCF), to support communities affected by disaster.
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