The faith-based Amity Foundation initiated a charity donation after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Gansu Province on Monday.
An earthquake hit Jishishan County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, one of the top ten poorest counties, at 23:59 UTC+8 on December 18, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). As of 13 p.m. on Tuesday, the earthquake had killed at least 131 people and injured more than 700 people in Gansu.
The Amity Foundation immediately initiated a charity donation on a public welfare platform online with the hope of calling all hands on deck from all walks of life to help Gansu. At present, the first batch of disaster relief materials from the Amity Foundation has been sent to the affected area.
The disaster relief materials for the victims in the affected area include, but are not limited to, cold-proof heating supplies, emergency foods and drinking water, daily necessities, rescue equipment, and other supplies, said the Foundation.
As relief work is undertaken, the Amity Foundation will collaborate with local organizations and volunteers to conduct needs assessments, procure materials, handle transportation, and manage distribution at various stages of emergency relief and transitional resettlement. These actions will be based on the duration of the disaster, the evolving situation in various locations, and the actual needs of the affected area.
By the time of release, 32,992 caring netizens had contributed to the "Amity Aid Gansu Earthquake" relief effort.
In response, CCC&TSPM has called upon churches and believers nationwide to offer prayers for the affected people, rescue personnel, and the earthquake relief efforts, according to its social service department.
Friends of the Church in China, an ecumenical group of individuals, churches, and organisations linking Christians in Britain with both the Protestant and Catholic communities in China, posted on X, "We are thinking and praying for our sisters and brothers in Gansu and Qinghai, and Godspeed for the disaster relief."
- Translated by Poppy Chan
