September 12, 2006

CHICAGO – 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.

ELCA News Service