Disaster updates around the world
May 15, 2008 : 7:38 PM
Relief efforts

Myanmar (Burma):

A number of international animal organizations have been working energetically to try to gain access to help the animals in the massive flooding following the cyclone in Myanmar. These include WSPA, HSI, and IFAW. Wildlife Friends of Thailand and Best Friends are ready to help in Myanmar if/when visas can be obtained to enter the country.

There is very little food and essentially no clean water for either people or animals in the affected areas. Much of the Irrawaddy River Delta, where the cyclone struck, is still under water.

Among animals in need of help are millions of cattle and buffalo. As was the case following the Tsunami, for example in the Andaman Islands, when huge volumes of salt water have washed over land, the salt destroys the ground. The rice paddies are destroyed, as well as any grass or hay that could provide food.

The effort by relief organizations to get help to both people and animals is ongoing.

China:

The 7.9 earthquake that struck in the Sichuan Province on Monday, May 12, may have killed as many as 50,000 people, with many thousands, including many schoolchildren, still trapped under buildings that crews are frantically trying to reach.

The Wolong National Nature Reserve has reported that all 86 of the pandas living there are safe and unharmed. This breeding center for pandas is in a mountainous area in Sichuan province, where roads had been closed off by the earthquake, so the fate of the pandas was unknown for some time. Among the pandas, the thirteen cubs are also fine. 60 other pandas in the region are also reported to be okay.

The Animals Asia Foundation sanctuary for rescued bears from bear bile farms, located in the city of Chengdu, not far from the epicenter of the earthquake, has sustained significant damage to their buildings. However, all the bears and all the staff are safe and unharmed.

Animals Asia has been assessing the situation of animals in the earthquake zone and Christie Yang, their China Relations Director, has been in touch with animal welfare groups and shelters in the region to find out what their needs are and to provide help.

Animals Asia Founder Jill Robinson, with a vet team, will be heading to Dujiangyiang, one of the most hard hit areas, to help the animals there. For more information, please see the link to Jill's Blog below.

Chile

At the beginning of May the Chaiten Volcano, which had not erupted for thousands of years, began to spew ash into the air.

Thousands of people have been evacuated within a thirty-mile (fifty-kilometer) radius. They were not allowed to bring their animals with them.

Domestic animals, farm animals, and wildlife are all severely impacted by the ash that continues to fall. Although the ash is said to be non-toxic, the layer of ash impacts breathing, movement, and coats water sources and vegetation, making it difficult for birds and other animals to survive. Pumas and huemules, who are a species of deer, live in the pine and cypress forests in the region.

The Chilean group CEFU (Coalition for the Ethical Control of Urban Animals) is an umbrella group for the animal rescue effort.

The group Abergando un Amigo (House a Friend), within CEFU, is playing a key role in rescue efforts.

Reype (rescate y rotectionrescate y proteccion animal, Coyhaique, XI Region, Chile) took 1,000 kilos of food for animals and medical supplies from Coyhaique to Futaleu.

From the University of Santo Thomas, veterinarians are helping. They need these supplies: cat and dog food, pots and containers for water, and these medicines: Amoxicillin, Bitencil, anti-inflammatory (ketoprofen), Bromexina, Polivitaminicos, and Thiopental.

It is being reported that no one other than the military is allowed to enter the city of Chaiten.

One of the residents, Christina Mendez, apparently refused to evacuate in order to stay and feed the animals.

In Santiago, CEFU is preparing to take aid for animals to Futaleufu.

Thanks to Karen Straight for providing much of this information for Chile.

A further update on the situations in Chile and in Lebanon will follow soon.

What you can do

To read more about the animal situation following the China eathquake, please go to
http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/

To donate earthquake relief for animals in China, please go to
http://www.animalsasia.org/

For Chile, the website, in Spanish, of Abergando un Amigo (House a Friend) has information about the Chaitan relief effort, and banking information as to where you may send a donation.
http://www.albergandounamigo.cl/

Also for Chile, the organization Reypa has these websites, in English (the first is also in Spanish):
http://www.reypa.org/pages/help_us.html
http://www.thepatagonianfoundation.org

Also for Chile, the website, in Spanish, of CEFU is
http://www.cefu.cl/

To read about the wildlife impact of the volcano ash, please see http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/patagonia-fears-environmental-damage-from-volcano/2008/05/12/1210444340926.html