Save the Children Assisting Children Following Deadly Earthquake in China

(May 13, 2008) In an effort to restore some routine and normalcy among the youngest survivors of Monday's 7.5 earthquake in southwestern China, the global humanitarian organization Save the Children is providing tents, tables, chairs, and other school supplies to damaged schools in communities in Chongqing, China.

Save the Children staff members already are on the ground assisting one school impacted by the earthquake and are conducting an assessment of other schools affected by the earthquake so it can expand its efforts.

"Children suffered hugely from the impact of this quake when it struck mid-afternoon while they were gathered in schools," said Zhang Hong, director of Support Services for Save the Children in China. Near the epicenter, around 60 to 80 percent of the buildings have been destroyed including many older school buildings."

Zhang Hong added, "It's terrible to watch as school after school is reported collapsed and to see children being rescued from under the rubble. The panic among the children as the quake struck caused stampedes in schools as they were evacuated by their teachers."

Officials are estimating that 11,921 people have died from the quake, with 7,000 hospitalized and 60,000 unable to be reached. The numbers are expected to climb as more areas are reached and communications is restored. Communications, electricity and roads are down in the area closest to the epicenter. Rail lines have been ruptured and mobile phone towers are down.

While the relief effort from the government has been extensive and rapid, the full extent of the quake damage is still being assessed, including the impact on children who were particularly vulnerable while at school during the quake. The Civil Affairs Bureau, the agency leading the emergency response, and the Education Bureau in Chongqing have asked Save the Children to assist in getting children back into school.

"Save the Children has been asked to help get these children back into school," said Zhang Hong. "Schools are supposed to be safe areas for children - we must try and reinstall some normality back into their lives now as soon as we can."

According to news reports, there are currently 50,000 people participating in China's rescue and relief efforts, some of whom walked 45 miles to get to the epicenter on roads impassable to vehicles. According to news reports:

99 miles (160 km) northeast from the epicenter in Beichuan county, 100 students and teachers are reported dead or missing in a high school
In a neighboring city to the epicenter, Dujiangyan, 900 children are still feared buried in the quake. In the same area, 420 pupils of Xianghe Middle School were buried when their school collapsed, with 370 of these pupils already confirmed dead.
81 students are reported dead in Shifang city, with 920 students from the school still buried. And in a school 30 kilometers from the epicenter, 200 pupils were also trapped by the rubble when their school toppled.
In Deyang and Aba Prefecture near the epicenter several schools have collapsed though numbers of confirmed dead are not yet being reported
In Chongqing's outer Liangping County, more than 5 students were killed and 100 were injured when two schools collapsed

More information

Save the Children UK media unit
Tel - +44 207 012 6841 / +44 7831 650 409
Email - media@savethechildren.org.uk

Save the Children US
Mike Kiernan
Cell: 202-460-0614
Office: 202-640-6630
mkiernan@savechildren.org

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