Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – Catholics in China and abroad are responding promptly to the appeal of Pope Benedict XVI launched yesterday during the General Audience on Wednesday, calling for help for the population of Yu Shu in the Province of Qing Hai, in mainland China, which was hit by an earthquake that registered 7.1 yesterday, April 14, at 7:49am local time. The Pope said, at the end of the audience, "My thoughts go to China and to the peoples stricken by a strong earthquake, which has caused numerous losses of human life, [many] wounded and enormous damages. I pray for the victims and am spiritually close to the persons tried by such a grave calamity; for them I implore from God relief from suffering and courage in this adversity. I hope that common solidarity will not be lacking.”
As always in these circumstances, Jinde Charities, the Catholic charitable organization on the mainland, has been mobilized to coordinate national and international aid. According to a local priest and the local faithful contacted by Jinde Charities, "most of the houses of Yu Shu collapsed due to the intense shocks that continue." Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Germany, and Caritas Australia, who have always worked with Jinde Charities for similar events, immediately notified of their solidarity and availability to the Catholic community for aid and any needs of the population. In addition, all dioceses, parishes, and basic ecclesial communities celebrated a memorial Mass this morning praying for the victims and the affected population. On the Jinde Charities website, there is a list of several different ways of giving, even on-line.
According to the latest official statistics, as of April 15 at 9am, the 7.1 earthquake that rocked the District of Yu Shu, in the Province of Qing Hai, in mainland China, has caused 617 deaths, 313 missing, 9,110 injured, of which 970 are in serious condition. In addition, 15,000 homes were destroyed, over 100,000 people are still waiting to be evacuated. 24 hours after the earthquake, another 750 shocks have been registered, some of them registering up to 6 and 6.9 on the Richter scale. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 15/04/2010)
