AS
HOPE FADES IN FROZEN MONGOLIA - A REPORT ON SNOW DISASTER
A report written by Ms Solveig Olafsdottis,
Infromation Delegate from International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies, telling you a story about the ZUD
disaster happened in Mongolia recently.
From
: Herbert K. LAU - Deputy Information Coordinator,
D.3450, RI
To:
All District Officers / All Rotary Club Presidents
/ District Rotaract Respresentative District
3450, RI
Date : 4 February, 2001.
Please circulate the following information
to ALL of your members.
1. The Task is being in-charged by PDG Anthony
J. HUNG, District Convenor, RI Presidential
Task Force on Rapid Disaster Relief.
2. I shall be pleased to co-ordinate any infromation.
Your idea on action plan are welcome to both
PDG Anthony J. Hung (e-mail: anthony@lkh.com.hk)
and my office.
(Tel: 9310 4873 e-mail: herbertl@speedinsure.com,
herbilau@netvigator.com
; Fax : 28905263 / 26609603)
3. The following material regarding the disaster
in Inner Mongolia are available at my office
upon request:
a) a news file by TVB JADE (15
min. video);
b) disaster information in Chinese.
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Chinese
Version
Disaster
Relief Special Bank Account
Account Name : Rotary International District 3450
Bank: CITI Ka Wah Bank, Ltd.
Bank Address: 43 Queen's Road Central, HONG KONG. Tel: (852)
28544223
Account No.: 018-699-1-18208-7-00
Enquiry:
PDG Anthony J. HUNG
District Convener, RI Presidential Task Force on Rapid Disaster
Relief
Tel: 9481 7802 Fax : 2530 1826
e-mail:anthony@lkh.com.hk
SNOW DISASTER IN GREATER MONGOLIAN REGION
Herdsmen in the greater Mongolian Region faced a bleak Christmas
all through the New Year festivals with a long severe winter
ahead. The independent nation Mongolia in the north is part
of our Rotary District 3450, while the Inner Mongolia Autonomous
Region in the south is a part of our beloved country China.
Let's Create The Awareness of the disaster and Take the immediate
Action to the disaster relief appeal.
MONGOLIA AND UNITED NATIONS LAUNCH APPEAL
The United Nations and the Government of Mongolia launched
an international appeal for assistance for herder families
stricken by a second consecutive winter disaster. As many
as 6 million heads of livestock's -- about 20 percent of the
national herd -- could perish during the next four months
due to severe winter conditions coming at the heels of prolonged
drought in summer of 2000, and another winter disaster during
1999-2000.
Referred to as ZUD in Mongolia, this unfolding winter disaster
is being caused by heavy snowfall in some areas and icy conditions
in others. Snow from 10-50 cm in depth covered much of the
territory of Mongolia as of 10 January 2001, with depths up
to 80 cm in some places. These conditions prevent Mongolia's
vast herds from grazing on national vegetation during the
winter as customary. The situation is expected to worsen with
greater than average snow forecast for February and March.
The situation is resulting in the impoverishment of the thousands
of herding families. The ZUD of 1999-2000 resulted in the
death of almost 3 million livestock, or 10 percent of the
national herd. Some 2,400 families lost all of their livestock
in 1999=2000. Estimated damages nationwide were US$ 84 million.
Losses this year were expected to be more severe. Speaking
at the official launch of the appeal in Ulaanbaatar, Minister
for Defense and Chairman of the State Emergency Commission
J. Gurragchaa said:" As of today, 100,000 herders with
20 million livestock from 192 counties in 20 provinces ae
affected by the ZUD. As of January 25, some 605,000 animals
had already perished."
The Government of Mongolia requested assistance from the UN
to deal with the disaster in December 2000. On January 9,
2001, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) dispatched a team of disaster specialists to
Mongolia. This United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
(UNDAC) Team assisted the Government in assessing the situation
and preparing an international appeal for assistance.
Based on the findings of the UNDAC Team, the Government of
Mongolia and United Nations launched an appeal on January
30, 2001, requesting US$11,778,857 in assistance for Mongolians
suffering from the ZUD. Of this total, US$7,096,609 was requested
in cash, and US$4,682,248 was requested for donation in-kind.
The funds would be channeled through the appropriate UN agencies
and distributed in consultation with the related government
ministries. These UN agencies include the UNDP, FAO, WHO,
UNICEF, UNFPA, and OCHA.
HERDERS IN INNER MONGOLIA FACED A BLEAK NEW YEAR
Herdsmen in Inner Mongolia faced a bleak Lunar New Year last
week and will go through a long severe winter ahead. The official
death toll from the worst bizzard in decades has climbed to
39, with more than 800 injured -- most suffering from fostbite
-- after severe snowstorms struck 4 weeks ago.
Relief workers have said that many victims were badly hurt
and some need urgent surgey to remove limbs. Food supplies
were also running low. According to the latest official figures,
363 million hectares of grasslands in 31 banner / counties
were destroyed and 220,500 animals were killed, 386,000 homes
or 1.65 milliom people were affacted. Mr. HAO Yidong, Vice
Chairman of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government, warned
that the blizzard-hit regions -- mainly in Xilin Gol League
-- would take some months to recover. He said it would take
two more months before snow started melting. Many herdsmen
would have to live on outside relief for at least four months.
He said "extreme difficulties lay ahead" as the
winter had not ended and more bad weather was a possibility.
The Inner Mongolia Government had started to dispatch relief
materials and allocate 58 million Yuan (HK$54 million) in
relief funds for the victims. According to Xinhua News Agency,
30,000 homes in the Xilin Gol grasslands were still unreachable
and up to three million livestock were starving.
While the local government had promised resolute measures
to ensure the herdsmen would not starve in the Lunar New Year
Festival, many families were running out of food and fuel.
To highlight Central Government's concern, Vice Premier WEN
Jiabao was sent to inspect the disaster-struck area and to
supervise the relief work. An Inner Mongolian official said
that the situation could remain dire, even when spring came,
since most grasslands had already been destroyed by a drought
last year. During the blizzard, deep snow blanketed the remaining
pastures on which the herdsmen feed their livestock and temperatures
fell as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius.
The disaster areas fell on the majority part of the northeastern
Inner Mongolia, including Xilin Gol League, Hing An League,
Hulunbair League, Chit Feng, Tung Liao, totally 26 Banners
/ Counties.
蒙古雪災
1. 此項救災任務是由第3450地區洪宏道前總監(國際扶輪社長快速災害救濟特別行動小組地區召集人)負責。
2. 第3450地區吐露港扶輪社劉敬恒前社長很樂意協調任何資訊的來往傳遞。如有任何行動計劃，歡迎寄給洪宏道前總監（電子郵件：Anthony@lkh.com.hk）及劉敬恒前社長的辦公室（電話：002-852-9310-4873，電子郵件：herbertl@speedinsure.com,
herbilau@netvigator.com；傳真：002-852-28905263/26609603 ）
3. 以下關於內蒙古災害之資料，可向劉敬恒前社長的辦公室索取：a)
香港無線電視翡翠台(TVB JADE)的新聞檔案（15分鐘）；b)內蒙古呼倫貝爾電視台雪災專輯；c)其他文字資訊。
大蒙古地區發生雪災
大蒙古地區的牧民從去年耶誕節到今年新年假期度過黯淡的日子，未來還有漫長的嚴冬。大蒙古地區北邊的獨立的蒙古國是第3450地區的一部份，而南邊的內蒙古自治區屬於中華人民共和國。讓我們「促進瞭解」這個災害，並立刻「採取行動」來救災。
蒙古國及聯合國發起呼籲救災行動
聯合國及蒙古國政府發起一項呼籲國際救災行動，以幫助連續遭受兩年嚴冬雪災的遊牧家庭。由於1999-2000年間的冬季雪災、2000年下紀的乾旱、及接踵而至的嚴冬，多達600萬頭牲畜(佔全蒙古國牲畜總數的20%)可能在未來4個月內死亡。
冬季嚴寒所引起的災害在蒙古文增為「諸得」（ZUD），目前災情正日益擴大，是由於有些區域發生大雪，有些區域氣溫極低變成冰寒所引起的。2001年1月10日為止，蒙古國大部分區域已有厚達10-50公分的積雪，有些地方甚至達80公分。這些情況使得蒙古國龐大的牛羊群無法一如往常在全國草場上覓食。由於氣象預測2月份及3月份將有較往常更嚴厲的大雪降臨，預期此一情況將會更加惡化。
嚴冬正在造成數以千計的遊牧家庭破產。1999-2000年間的冬災導致將近300萬頭牲畜死亡，佔全國總數的10%，而且約有2,400個家庭損失全部的牲畜。估計全國損失大約8400萬美元。
今年的損失預期會更嚴重。蒙古國國防部長暨國家緊急救災委員會主席古拉格查（J.
Gurragchaa）在烏蘭巴托發起救災行動時說：「到今天為止，全國20個省中，192個縣的10萬個牧民及2000萬頭牛羊，受到今年冬災的影響。」
蒙古國政府於2000年12月向聯合國請求協助救災。2001年1月9日，聯合國人道事務協調辦公室(OCHA)派遣了一組救災專家到蒙古。這支聯合國災害評估及協調小組(UNDAC)協助蒙古國政府評估災情，並規劃呼籲國際救災行動。
蒙古國政府及聯合國根據小組的評估結果，在2001年1月30日發起一項呼籲救災行動，請求各界捐獻11,778,857美元來支援遭受冬災的蒙古人民。其中，希望7,096,609美元以現金，4,682,248美元以實物方式來幫助他們。
捐款將會透過適當的聯合國機構為管道，並與相關政府部門協商之後支付。這些聯合國機構包括UNDP、FAO(聯合國糧食及農業組織)、WHO(世界衛生組織)、UNICEF(聯合國兒童基金會)、UNFPA、及OCHA。
溫頌安總監已經在2月1日向國際扶輪社長戴甫靈報告此事，並已獲得社長核准向全球扶輪社發出賑災呼籲。
內蒙古牧民度過黯淡的新年
中國內蒙古的牧民度過了一個黯淡的農曆新年，而且將忍受未來更漫長的嚴冬。兩個月前所發生的大雪是數十年來最嚴重的暴風雪，據官方的正式統計，已經造成39人死亡，800多人受傷，大多都是凍傷所引起的。
救災人員說，有許多災民受傷嚴重，有些需要立即動手術截肢。食物的供應也越來越少。根據最新的官方數字，有31個旗/縣的3億6300畝草地已被摧毀，損失22萬多頭牲畜，災民有38萬6000戶、165萬人。內蒙自治區副主席郝益東先生警告，暴風雪侵襲的區域，主要是錫林郭勒盟，需要數個月才能恢復舊觀。他說，積雪還要2個月才會開始融化。許多牧民需要仰賴外界的援助才能過活，這段期間大約至少4個月。他說「最嚴峻的苦頭還在後面」，因為冬季還沒過去，可能還有更嚴寒的天氣。
內蒙古政府已經開始分發救災物資，並準備5800萬元人民幣（港幣5400萬元）來救濟災民。根據新華社報導，錫林郭勒草原上的3萬戶人家還無法聯繫上，而且有多達300萬頭牲畜正在挨餓。
雖然當地政府承諾一定盡一切力量保證牧民不會在農曆新年期間挨餓，許多家庭的食物及燃料已經快用光了。中華人民共和國政府為了表現對此事的關心，副總理溫家寶已經奉派前往視察災情，並督導救災工作。一位內蒙古官員說，即使到了春天，災情可能還是很嚴重，因為去年的乾旱已經把大部分的草地摧毀。在暴風雪期間，牲畜賴以維生的僅存的草地也被厚厚的積雪覆蓋住，氣溫降到攝氏零下50度。
受災區域大部分在內蒙古的東北部，包括錫林郭勒盟、興安盟、呼倫貝爾盟、赤峰、通遼，總共26個旗/縣。
第3450地區蒙古雪災特別賑災帳戶
聯絡人：洪宏道前總監
電話：002-852-2530-9919；傳真：002-852-2530-1826；
電子郵件：Anthony@lkh.com.hk
銀行：中信嘉華銀行 (CITI KA WAH BANK, LTD.)
地址：香港皇后大道中43號
帳號：018-699-1-18208-7-00
戶名：ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 3450
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