NW Aid Groups Challenged By Simultaneous Disasters

MERCY CORPS  CHINA  GENERAL NEWS 

By Tom Banse

Olympia, WA  May 13, 2008 4:14 p.m.

The quartet of international aid organizations based in the Northwest say they can respond to two major disasters simultaneously.  As it happens, China is proving more welcoming of outside assistance for earthquake victims than the government of Myanmar is for cyclone survivors.  Correspondent Tom Banse has more on the story.

Mercy Corps and Medical Teams International are based in Portland.  World Vision and World Concern are headquartered in the Seattle-area.

All four were working to get aid to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar when that massive earthquake hit central China.

Mercy Corps spokeswoman Susan Laarman says relief groups like hers have dealt with overlapping catastrophes before.

Susan Laarman: “We had two big disasters happening in the fall of 2005.  The Pakistan earthquake in the Himalayas was very devastating and we also responded to Hurricane Stan in Guatemala.”

Mercy Corps and World Vision are mobilizing to assist China.

World Vision senior relief officer Jeff Wright says the Chinese are more open to outside help than Myanmar.

Jeff Wright: “Thus far, I personally have heard no indication of any kind of hindrance or obstruction by the government of China.”

For now, Wright is not redeploying assets that have been kept waiting by Myanmar’s government to China.  He’s says there are enough tarps, emergency food, and water filters stockpiled to serve both.

All the Northwest-based aid agencies have information on their websites about how you can help.

Online:

World Vision

Mercy Corps

Medical Teams International

World Concern

Share this article: del.icio.us digg newsvine

© 2008 KUOW