Our View--Information Issues in Relation to

1
Our View--Information Issues in Relation to 98
China Floods

• Presentation at PacInfo99
• By Xiao Xing, Juan Jing,
• Red Cross Society of China

2
Summary

• General information on Chinese Red Cross
• 98 floods in China
• Information sources used /obtained by Chinese Red
  Cross during emergency situation
• What are to be further improved
• Conclusion

3
General information on Chinese Red Cross

• Founded in 1904
• One of the members of International Red Cross
  since 1912
• 150,000 grass-root organizations and 20 million
  membership nationwide and
• To function as an auxiliary of authorities in
  humanitarian field in carrying out such tasks as
  disaster relief/preparedness, first aid, social
  welfare, blood transfusion and dissemination of
  International Humanitarian Law, etc.

4
98 Floods in China

• General picture on floods situation
• Losses and affected population
• Red Cross relief operations and
• Situation in affected regions so far.

5
General picture on floods situation

• The YangtzeRiver Valley was hit by eight
  successive flood crests
• Record -breaking floods also hit the Nenjing
  River and Songhua River Valley, with successive
  flood crests and
• 12 provinces and more than 180 million people
  were affected.

6
Losses and affected population

• More than 180 million people were affected and
  4,150 dead
• More than 18.3 million evacuated (homeless)
• 6.85 million houses collapsed and more than 13
  million damaged
• More than 22 million hectares of cultivated land
  affected, in which 5.29 million no harvest and
• Direct economic losses 255 billion yuan (US30
  billion).

7
Red Cross relief operations and

• Operations in 10 flood-hit provinces
• Offering 670 million in cash and kind
• More than 9000 medical teams serving victims and
• Beneficiary 30 million people.

8
Situation in affected regions so far

• The most of victims removed reconstructed houses
  or shelter houses
• Food and cloths available
• No epidemic diseases found in affected regions
• Some victims will face lack of food in this
  spring and
• Environment problem during coming spring.

9
Information sources used /obtained by Chinese
Red Cross during emergency situation

• What kind of information is needed?
• Major channels to obtain information
• Information released by authorities
• Field assessment by local Red Cross, HQs team
• Media reports from both home and abroad and
• Telecommunication (no alternatives ways to obtain
  information so far).

10
What are to be further improved

• Personnel training for obtaining and using of
  information source
• Alternatives communication tools (computer
  network, mobile satellite phone)
• Seeking donation in cash and kind at emergency
  stage
• Transportation and
• Disaster preparedness.

11
Conclusion

• Relief operations depend on external limited
  donation
• Personnel training
• Rapid response to disaster to be further
  strengthened and
• Alternative communication ways besides existing
  telecommunication.