On 12th May 2008, a devastating earthquake hit Sichuan Province in China. Coverage of the natural disaster has been extensive – from the unprecedented transparency in the domestic media’s coverage of the unfolding disaster (and initial investigation into the shoddy construction), and the extensive coverage and political analysis in the international press, to blogs across the country, including the now-poignant pictures at the blog of a teacher (via Black and White Cat) at the collapsed Beichuan Middle School a day before the quake.
The disaster is one of immense sadness – and there is little in the world that can be worse than what some parents are facing after finding out the fate of their only children.
If we could seek some solace in the sadness of the disaster, it is in recognizing the outpouring of support, from stories of local people and officials working with relief teams from Japan and Taiwan, to the top-notch response from Premier Wen Jiabao (who flew in within two hours of the disaster) and President Hu Jintao. Here in the UK, there were students collecting donations at my university, and online, the dissemination of information through groups and discussions on social-networking sites such as Facebook.
I don’t think I can contribute any further, apart from asking visitors to this blog to consider making a donation to help the victims of the devastating earthquake.
CNReviews has a comprehensive list of the ways of donating to the victims of the devastating earthquake in China on 12th May 2008. They recommend donating to the local Red Cross Society, as there are local branches of the society able to help people in need.
In Hong Kong, you may wish to contribute via the following organisations:
In the United Kingdom, you may wish to contribute to the following:
- British Red Cross
- UNICEF China Appeal & Myanmar Appeal
Talking about donations – there is the other major natural disaster in recent days, Typhoon Nargis in Myanmar (Burma), where millions more are just as in need of emergency aid and relief. In the UK, Disasters Emergency Committee, a network of aid agencies, is probably the best place to contribute to this cause:
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