Wenchuan Earthquake Update - Front Line News from Jinde
In the afternoon of May 13, staff of Jinde Charities contacted Fr. Wang Fuxuan, parish priest of Dujiangyan, who could only mutter continuously “It’s appalling, it’s appalling”
According to Fr. Wang, at 8 a.m. he went with another priest to Dujiangyan to find out more in particular about the church and his parishioners. There were many obstacles on the way and for safety reasons ordinary people were not allowed to enter many places. The difficult journey took about 7 hours. Fr. Wang told Jinde staff that 80 % of the houses of Dujiangyan are no longer habitable. At present the people stay in their cars or in tents while others just take shelter under the eaves of houses in better conditions. The continuous rainfall makes relief works more difficult and increases the sufferings of the people. Fr. Wang has yet to make contact with his parents in Pingwu. In some places, people are without food or drink. A school building in Juiyuan town collapsed and casualties among the students are serious. The more seriously hit areas are Wenchuan, Beichuan, Dujiangyan, Shifang, Mianchun and Pingwu. The rescue teams have just succeeded to reach Wenchuan but communication and roads are still in the process of being restored. At present rescue work in Dujiangyan is progressing in an orderly way but because there are still after quake tremors, the people are still living in fear and they need to be calmed down. As most of the houses have collapsed, re-construction work would be a big problem. Jinde Charities hopes to offer help as soon as possible.