ELCA NEWS SERVICE September 19, 2003 Lutherans Respond to Disasters Worldwide 03-172-MR CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continues to provide funds for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter and other materials for survivors of disasters in China, India and other parts of the world. Coordinated by the ELCA Division for Global Mission, International Disaster Response often channels its funds through international church organizations and relief agencies. CHINA Violent rainstorms hit areas of China for about 24 days in June and July, causing human casualties and tremendous damage to land in 11 provinces and municipalities in the south and along the Huai and Yangtze rivers, said Belletech Deressa, director for international development and disaster response, ELCA Division for Global Mission. "The rainfall ranged between 200 and 450 millimeters in many areas," Deressa said. There were thousands of landslides in mountain areas and "in the plains, water levels in the main rivers and their tributaries rose rapidly, overflowing the embankments," she said. Holes had to be blown into the embankments, and dykes helped relieve some of the flood waters. "Many river dykes collapsed under the pressure of the water, resulting in widespread flooding. Many cities have been flooded, while thousands of villages have been submerged for days in flood waters that rose up to four meters," said Deressa. "Injuries and illnesses are being treated by medical personnel," said the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for international communication, ELCA Division for Global Mission. More than 335 people died, and another 130 million people were affected by the flooding. "Large amounts of food, drinking water, medicine, water purifiers, fuel, clothing, blankets and tents are being delivered and distributed among the displaced people. In spite of all these efforts, much more food like rice and other items like drinking water, medicine, clothing, blankets and materials needed to set up make-shift shelters are still urgently needed because the number of people needing assistance is so great," Ishida said. To support recovery efforts in China the ELCA sent $50,000 to Action by Churches Together (ACT), a worldwide network of churches and related agencies that meets human need through organized emergency response. ACT is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), both in Geneva, Switzerland. The ELCA is a member of WCC and LWF. LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947, the LWF now has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing 61.7 million of the worlds nearly 65.4 million Lutherans. The funds will be implemented by The Amity Foundation, a church-related relief and development organization aiming at promoting health, education, social services, rural development, and emergency relief and rehabilitation programs. The ELCA also works directly with Amity in China. INDIA "Incessant rains have pounded Assam since the first week of July, causing the main river and its tributaries in upper Assam to overflow and flood 20 districts," said Deressa. She said the death toll from monsoon rains and floods in India has risen to 203. Heavy precipitation worsened the situation in the northeast Indian state of Assam. "Seventy-eight deaths were reported from Assam alone, the United News of India reported. Forty-five deaths have been reported in northwestern Rajasthan, 25 each in the eastern states of Bihar and West Bengal, 16 in New Delhi, nine in Uttar Pradesh and five in Uttaranchal," Deressa said. The worst hit areas in India are the northeast states of Assam and Bihar, said Deressa. It is estimated that some 20,000 people were stranded in a single district of Assam, where more than a dozen emergency camps have been set up to provide shelter, food, clothing and medicine for people left homeless, she said. With more than 70 percent of its one billion citizens engaged in agriculture, India depends on the monsoon's rains, Ishida said. "Parts of the country, such as Assam, where more than 100 rivers flow from surrounding mountains, are ill-equipped to deal with the annual deluge. Thousands have lost all their belongings in the swirling floods waters and are faced with scarcity of shelter, food, clothing and household goods. Survivors are currently deprived of the basic necessities of life," he said. The ELCA sent $50,000 to Lutheran World Service-India. Funds are being used to assist "the most vulnerable affected families" in India, said Ishida. "Food for children and nursing mothers, non-food relief kits, temporary shelter, water and sanitation items, as well as health assistance, are being provided," he said. In the last seven months, the ELCA has been supporting disaster relief work in other parts of the world: + El Salvador. The ELCA provided $20,346 to support families affected by the flooding of La Paz River in southern El Salvador. Hurricane Isidore produced floods there September 2002. Funds were sent to The Salvadoran Lutheran Synod through LWF and ACT. + Ethiopia. The church contributed $25,000 to support famine relief efforts in Ethiopia. Funds were sent to Lutheran World Relief, the overseas relief and development ministry of the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. + Iraq. A grant of $90,000 was provided by the ELCA to "All Our Children," a campaign led by Church World Service (CWS). Since 1991 CWS, a relief and development agency of U.S. Protestant and Orthodox churches, has provided humanitarian services to the people of Iraq. The ELCA participates in the work of CWS and has contributed funds to the All Our Children campaign, created last year to respond to the critical health-care needs of children in Iraq. + Liberia. From its International Disaster Response fund, the ELCA Division for Global Mission provided $135,000 to support tens of thousands of people who were internally displaced from the battle between rebel and government forces over control of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. ELCA funds were sent in response to an ACT appeal for funds. ACT will support the humanitarian work of LWF, LWR and the Lutheran Church in Liberia. + Madagascar. The ELCA sent $50,000 for famine relief in Madagascar. Funds were sent to the Malagasy Lutheran Church. + Mozambique. The church provided $10,727 for food aid to 515,000 people in 43 districts in Mozambique. The food shortages in the country are a result of drought during the 2001-2002 crop seasons. Funds were sent to LWF through ACT. + North Korea. The ELCA sent $50,000 to provide food and medical assistance for people affected by famine in North Korea. Funds were sent to CWS. "Disasters also affect millions of people in other parts of the world. Many of these disasters, from floods to famine, often do not make the headlines in the U.S. media," said Ishida. "Local church or church-related agencies are there on the ground, attempting to meet the needs of those who suffer from disasters. The ELCA has an opportunity to contribute to the relief efforts. We hope our constituencies can work with the whole church to bring comfort to people who suffer the most," Ishida said. INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS: Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to survivors of major disasters outside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include: ELCA International Disaster Response PO Box 71764 Chicago, IL 60694-1764 1-800-638-3522, or http://www.elca.org/scriptlib/dcm/giving/idisaster.asp on the Internet. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news