16 May 2008 - Caritas assessment teams will be travelling to Sichuan in China to assess the needs of survivors from a powerful earthquake.

The quake hit a populated area of China Monday 12 May and measured 7.9 on the Richter scale.

China put the death toll at 21,500 people on Friday but has said it expects it to exceed 50,000 people.

Caritas Hong Kong are sending staff members to the area to asses how best to respond and what the immediate needs of the survivors will be.

Caritas Hong Kong is also putting together a team of personnel to provide counselling to the survivors.

Caritas Internationalis, the network of 162 national Caritas organisations including Caritas Hong Kong, will be coordinating the efforts of its members.  

Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI launched an appeal for "the people of Sichuan and adjoining provinces in China, so harshly affected by the earthquake which has provoked serious loss of human life, left large numbers missing and caused incalculable damages."

The Pope asked the Lord "to give support to all those involved in meeting the immediate needs" of the victims.

Please contact Patrick Nicholson on 0039 06 69879725 or 0039 3343590700 or nicholson@caritas.va