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By IFRCThe International Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF is a vital part of the International Federation’s disaster response system and increases the ability of national societies to respond to disasters.
CHF 250,000 (USD 236,580 or EUR 153,355) has been allocated from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Red Cross Society of China in delivering immediate assistance to those affected by the earthquake in Sichuan province. Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
Summary:
A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County, Aba Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 14.28 Beijing time (0628 GMT) on Monday, 12 May.Several lowerscale earthquakes followed in the same area, according to State Seismological Bureau of China.
Latest figures released by the Sichuan provincial disaster relief headquarters indicated that approximately 8,000 people are feared dead after the major earthquake in Beichuan, a nearby county of Wenchuan, and about 20,000 people were injured.
The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) local branches have started to provide emergency relief assistance. The RCSC headquarters and the International Federation’s regional office’s joint emergency assessment team are preparing to leave Beijing first thing in the morning on 13 May to go to Wenchuan to conduct an emergency assessment.
This operation is expected to be implemented over three months to support emergency relief, and will therefore be completed by August 2008. A Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation, by 30 November 2008.