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EARTHQUAKE CHINA Latest Report: 4th July 2008

Habitat’s Response China: Earthquake Epicentre Magnitude: 8.0 Qinghai Date: 12 May 2008 “Habitat for Humanity has Time: 2:28 (local time) launched an initial US$5 million Shaanxi campaign for the first-phase of a Beichuan long-term and sustained recon- Wenchuan Beijing struction effort to rebuild homes Jingyang and lives following the 12th May Chengdu earthquake in China.” Xizang Chongqing “Habitat is planning a pilot project to assist 100 families in CHINA Jingyang, northeast of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.” Yunnan Guizhou

“Donors are invited to support TOP LINE the first phase with its goal of The scale and extent of the calamity is enormous; as is the assisting 1,000 families, includ- • ing those in Jingyang, and in- response of the Chinese authorities. vesting in the capacity to assist • The government is forging ahead with a program to build thousands more.” one million temporary homes. • A high level government group is planning resettlement and “Habitat for Humanity has reconstruction. considerable experience rebuild- • Habitat has identifi ed the location for a pilot project. ing communities after natural disasters, but it is a long-term process. Rebuilding takes many, RECENT DEVELOPMENTS Casualties: Government fi gures released at the end of June indicate more many years.” than 69,000 people died in the earthquake and from aftershocks, with 374,000 injured and 18,400 people still listed as missing. Most of the confi rmed Rick Hathaway deaths – 68,600 – were in Sichuan province. 00000000000000000000000000 Vice President, Asia-Pacific Habitat for Humanity Extent: The disaster area covers 440,000 sq. km. – the size of Iraq – and has affected 417 counties and 4,656 townships.

Remote Areas: The destruction of roads and communications links has ham- pered the delivery of relief efforts in many mountainous areas, some of the worst-hit locations.

Public Health Fears: Concerns over outbreaks of disease are lessening thanks to a speedy ofﬁ cial response. The central government has called on health, en-

Asia-Paciﬁ c Ofﬁ ce: Q House, 8th Floor, 38 Convent Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand Tel : +66-(0)2-632-0415 Fax : +66-(0)2-632-0445 www.habitat.org/ap Contact: Teck Meng Yong [email protected] 1 EARTHQUAKE CHINA Latest Report: 4th July 2008

Xie Jiafei stands in front of the tent in Qiao Lou village, north of Chengdu, where she and her husband Liao Lunpun have lived since the May 12th earthquake. A villager’s house registration book list- ing the number of people in a family: the vironmental protection, water conservation, agricultural and construction bod- document will determine the size of a ies to work together to avoid the spread of disease and to ensure food is avail- replacement house. able. One of the worst hit towns, Beichuan, was sealed off again after crowd problems arose when survivors were allowed to return to collect possessions.

Shelter Need: An estimated 15 million people have been displaced of whom one third – about ﬁ ve million – are homeless.

Tents: Some 1.58 million tents have been delivered. The international Red Cross has delivered about 88,300 of 103,000 tents that it planned to bring in. However, because of the speed with which transitional housing is being built, the unused tents are likely to be sent elsewhere.

Transitional Shelter Plan: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Devel- opment has told local authorities to build one million temporary or transitional earthquake-resilient shelters by August. By the end of June, nearly 314,000 transitional houses had been built, 32,000 more were under construction, and materials were in place for close to 64,000 more.

Transitional House Speciﬁ cations: The authorities specify that the transitional homes should either be assembled with steel sandwich panels or made from light-weight steel and plywood kits. Each unit should cover 20 sq, m. Materials should be recyclable. The homes should last three-to-ﬁ ve years. All photos by Mikel Flamm

Transitional House Communities: Local authorities have been told to build one primary school, one clinic and one retail store for every 1,000 transitional homes. One middle school should be built for every 2,000 transitional homes.

Price Controls: The government has ordered controls on the prices of construction material. It is not clear for how long this will be maintained if short- ages arise.

A village woman cooks at a makeshift Reconstruction Planning: The State Council’s Earthquake Relief Headquar- kitchen in Qiao Lou, Peng Zhou township, ters has formed a high-level group to plan what to do about resettlement and 70 km. north of Chengdu. reconstruction. The group includes representatives from the National Devel- opment and Reform Commission, the Sichuan provincial government and the housing ministry. Planning is expected to take two more months and reconstruction at least three years.

Habitat for Humanity’s Response

Appeal: Habitat for Humanity has launched an initial US$5 million appeal campaign for the fi rst-phase of a long-term and sustained effort to rebuild homes and lives following the earthquake in China. He Shao Yin, her husband Yang Yong Hui, and their fi ve-year-old son Yang Chao Jie, in front of what remains of their home in Strategy: The fi rst phase will begin with a goal of supporting 1,000 families, in Bei Zhen village, Huang Tu township, 130 groups of 100 in Jingyang and other locations, and investing in the capac- km. northwest of Chengdu. ity to assist thousands more through partnerships with local authorities and other non-governmental organizations.

Three-part Response: Working with the local Jingyang district government and subject to clearance from higher authorities, Habitat envisages a three-part response:

• Habitat will work with local government and home partners to provide technical assistance in designing earthquake-resilient buildings, and in construction management. Most homes will be rebuilt in existing villages.

• Habitat will work with partners to meet government guidelines to build a certain number of schools, clinics and other facilities along with the houses.

• Habitat will leverage donor funding by working with the local authorities and ﬁ nancing institutions to provide micro-ﬁ nancing facilities to supplement the cost of construction. The local and central govern- ments are due to provide shelter grants of RMB20,000 (US$2,900) for each family. The remaining RMB50,000 (US$7,300) estimated cost

Rice and wheat distribution at Qiao Lou, Peng Zhou township, 70 km. north of Chengdu.

Septic tanks for a complex of temporary housing complex in Peng Zhou township, north of Chengdu. will be provided partially by the families and partially through loans from rural credit cooperatives.

Leadership: Habitat for Humanity has appointed an experienced project direc- tor to lead the program. A decision has still to be made on whether to base the response team out of Chengdu or closer to Jingyang.

CEO Visit: Habitat for Humanity International’s chief executive met families and ofﬁ cial in Jingyang and other earthquake-devastated communities during a visit to Sichuan at the end of June.

Fund Raising: Habitat for Humanity supporters around the world are raising money in aid of Habitat’s reconstruction efforts. Events that have taken place or are planned include charity walks; student-fund raisers; a photo exhibition; a wine auction and a gala ball.

Publicity: Broadcasters worldwide, including Australia’s ABC and TVS Syd- ney, and US-based CNNI and Discovery Networks have agreed to show a public service announcement to raise awareness and funds for Habitat’s reconstruction program.

Volunteers: There are opportunities for volunteers to participate in Habitat reconstruction programs after natural disasters, but usually once reconstruction programs are up and running. When the programs in Jingyang and elsewhere reach that stage, Habitat will welcome volunteers. Asia-Paciﬁ c Ofﬁ ce: Q House, 8th Floor, 38 Convent Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand Tel : +66-(0)2-632-0415 Fax : +66-(0)2-632-0445 www.habitat.org/ap Contact: Teck Meng Yong [email protected] 4 EARTHQUAKE CHINA Latest Report: 4th July 2008

Habitat for Humanity chief executive Jon- athan Reckford and Habitat staff visiting a government-supplied temporary housing complex in Deyang. A pathway to Bei Zhen village, 130 km. northwest of Chengdu, which may become the axis for a new main street when the village is rebuilt, according to local ofﬁ cials. About Jingyang

• Jingyang is a district of Deyang city and lies a one-and-a-half hour drive northeast of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. (The wider De- yang area experienced the third highest casualty toll – more than 17,000 deaths – of any region.)

• Jingyang covers more than 648 sq. km. and includes ten rural towns, each surrounded by numerous villages. It is home to about 640,000 people. The area is a major source of rice, poultry, vegetables, pork and other food- stuffs. Nearer Deyang city there are several large industrial estates.

• The earthquake killed 680 people. More than 70,000 buildings collapsed or were damaged. Some 60,000 families – one third of the population – are homeless, and are presently housed in tents or makeshift shelters. Many are expected to be relocated to transitional or temporary homes. Some 60,000 children are without a permanent school.

Habitat for Humanity in China

Habitat for Humanity has been operating in Yunnan, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces for the past seven years. In partnership with different government and charitable organizations, Habitat has built and repaired hundreds of houses for the disabled and for those in need. Habitat has helped repair houses damaged by ﬂ ooding in Meizhou, Guangdong, and after the earthquake in Pu’er, Yunnan. The team working in China also includes staff members who played key roles in Habitat’s work in Indonesia after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. See www. habitatchina.org and www.habitat.org/ap.