ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 12, 2006  

Lutherans Support Recovery Work Along China's Southeast Coast
06-138-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $30,000
Sept. 5 to support recovery efforts along the southeast coast of
China after Typhoon Saomai caused loss of life and destruction to
homes and land in August.  Tropical Storm Bilis produced
extensive flooding in southern China in July.
     ELCA funds were sent to support the recovery efforts of the
Amity Foundation, an independent church-related organization
developed by Protestant Christians in China to help meet needs
related to health education, social welfare, rural development,
relief, and rehabilitation within Chinese society.  The ELCA
relates to China primarily through the Amity Foundation.
     The foundation is working to provide food, medicine and
other supplies to people affected by the storms.  It is also
working to rebuild homes, school buildings, clinics and
hospitals, and it is reconstructing drinking-water and irrigation
systems.
     As of Aug. 17 in Fujian, Typhoon Saomai killed 215 people.
More than 155 people are missing, said the Rev. Y. Franklin
Ishida, director for international leadership development, ELCA
Global Mission.
     The typhoon affected more than 1.45 million people, with
710,000 of them evacuated from their homes.  "People's lives were
further affected when 103,000 houses collapsed and 361,000 homes
were damaged.  More than 68,100 hectares of crops were affected.
The direct economic losses in Fujian have reached 6.35 billion
Yuan (about $800 million)," said Ishida.
     In Zhejian 193 people died and 11 people were missing as of
Aug. 18, Ishida said.  The typhoon affected more than 3.45
million people there.  Some 39,000 houses collapsed, 327,000
houses were damaged and 103,200 hectares of crops were affected.
The direct economic losses in Zhejian totaled 12.73 billion Yuan
(about $1.6 billion), he said.
     Since July 14, floods produced by Tropical Storm Bilis have
affected parts of southern China.  "Torrential rains in late May
and early June triggered flooding, which has turned vast areas of
southern China into mudded lakes and razed mountain villages.
More than 76,000 housing units have been destroyed and 234,000
units damaged," said Ishida.
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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 and
http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/idrgive on the Internet.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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