Caritas volunteers in Taiwan will carry 500 survival kits by foot to reach people in need cut off by typhoon Morakot.

The slow moving storm dumped record rainfall as it crossed southern Taiwan 7-9 August, triggering landslides and the worst flooding in 50 years. An estimated 500 people are believed dead and thousands more have been affected. Government efforts are still underway to reach survivors.

Caritas Taiwan has prepared 500 ‘charity bags’ for the survivors in Kaoshiung, containing flashlights, first aid kits, toiletries, medicines, clothing, quilts, and cooking utensils. Caritas volunteers will carry the goods by foot to the survivors who are stranded in remote areas difficult to reach because of damaged roads and bridges.

Caritas Taiwan’s Sr Emma Lee Ling-ling said, “There was no communication for five days with the mountain areas. Roads and bridges were washed away. The damage has been beyond our imagination. There are many priests and sisters who are stranded with the poor victims too in the villages. It was only two days ago communication with outside became possible for them.

“The aid we’re sending comes at the urgent request of Caritas partners there. The charity bags that we are preparing may not be enough. Caritas Taiwan is constantly communicating with the several local Caritas in the south to be able to provide what exactly they do need at the moment and also in the near future when they will start to rebuild their lives.”

Caritas Taiwan has asked the Catholic schools to provide details of students whose families are in great difficult as a result of Morakot. Twenty-two schools in the badly affected areas will not be able to open for the new school year in September. Among Caritas Taiwan’s immediate plans is to provide bursaries by September to ensure that students’ education is not disrupted.

Cash donations can be sent through TAIWAN POST OFFICE:

Account Name: 財團法人台灣明愛文教基é‡'會

Account Number: 19143701

Or contact: Caritas Taiwan on Tel. (02)2311-7764 / 2361-6431

For more information, please contact Patrick Nicholson on 0039 334 359 0700 or nicholson@caritas.va