by Wendy Chan - Communications
A mighty earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the north-western part of China at 10:03 am on yesterday (24th February). It has killed 257 people and injured more than 1,000. More than 1,000 houses and school building have collapsed in a village in Bachu County. The quake shook an area about 40 km east of Jiashi County in Xinjiang and the affected areas include Bachu County, Jiashi County, Kashi City, Artux County and Markit County. Reporting the death toll, the official Xinhua News Agency described the quake as "the most serious since 1949".

World Vision China has begun liasing with the Chinese government to secure their cooperation on a World Vision relief effort. With the full support of the Civil Affairs Bureau of the province, a 4-member World Vision relief team is right now on their way to the disaster area. Our target area for this relief effort is Bachu County, the area hardest hit by the earthquake. We intend to start assessment and relief operations once we arrive.

At present, World Vision has an Area Development Program (ADP) in Hotan County, Xinjiang. As Xinjiang is a large province our ADP is not expected to have been impacted by the quake.

World Vision China launched earthquake relief operations in Jiashi County, Xinjiang in 1997 and has implemented the Area Development Programme (ADP) in Hotan County of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region since 2000.

Email newsvision@wvi.org for more information.