Anthony
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1. Heavy Snow Adds Further Misery to Earthquake Victims in Hebei
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[CND 01/13/98] Tuesday's heavy snow brought further misery to thousands of
earthquake victims in Hebei province and made relief efforts more
difficult, AFP reported. The temperatures in the area, which have been
around minus 1 degree Celsius (four degrees Fahrenheit) during the day
and minus 20 (minus four Fahrenheit) Celsius at night, are still falling.
About 350 aftershocks some were above 4.0 Richter scale, had been recorded
around Zhangjiakou by early Tuesday.
Emergency aids such as food, tents, blanket, cotton-padded clothing,
cotton-padded quilts, wood, coal and ovens, have been rushed to the quake
victims. Villagers are asked to build shelters with available building
materials, including destroyed house debris. The Red Cross Federation
said Tuesday that it is seeking 1.75 million Swiss francs (1.2 million
dollars) to help earthquake victims. A Red Cross medical team will be
dispatched to the disaster area. Charity groups in Hong Kong have
requested 17 million Hong Kong dollars (2.19 million US) from Hong Kong's
disaster relief fund to help the victims and also launched drive to raise
fund from its citizens. Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa said his
government would soon come out with an assistance package. Emergency aids
from neighboring countries, such as Japan, Cambodia and Pakistan, is also
sent or will be sent to the quake victims.
The 6.2 Richter scale earthquake, which happened Saturday about 220
kilometers (136 miles) northeast of Beijing, affected 110,000 people,
claiming 47 lives, leaving 1,200 people seriously injured, and 70,000
houses destroyed or damaged. The economic loss is estimated at 250
million dollars. (Shiji SHEN, Guochen WAN)
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