Summer of Crisis Upon Crisis

In a few years’ time, when you look back at the summer of 2020, what will you remember doing? This is the season of heat, humidity, and in “normal” years, summer vacations. Instead, with travel restrictions and different waves of COVID-19 cases, this has been a time most of us staying close to our home cities and spending time with loved ones. Staycation appears to be a popular word. This is also a time that many of you have been stepping out to help the most vulnerable in our immediate communities as well as around the world.

At the same time, just as communities are still dealing with the impact from COVID-19, southern provinces in China have been hit by the worst floods in recent memory. From June 1st to July 6th this year, the accumulated rainfall in the Yangtze River Basin was the second highest in nearly 60 years, exceeding the record in 1998. According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, as of July 12, 37.9 million people have been affected by floods in 27 provinces this year. More than 2.2 million people have been evacuated; 1.3 million people needed emergency life assistance; 28,000 houses collapsed; crops in an area of ​​3532 thousand hectares have been hit.  Direct economic losses amounted to RMB82.2 billion (USD11.7bn). One report estimates around one-sixth of the land area of China is under water.

World Vision is responding to the floods in Jiangxi Province, one of the most severely affected provinces, where the level of Boyang Lake has risen to record levels and more than 5.2 million people affected by floods. World Vision has launched a USD610,000 response plan aimed to help around 48,000 affected people, approximately 12,000 households, in Wuyuan and Pengze counties in Jiangxi. Together with local government and partners, we have distributed 100 child-friendly kits, 100 hygiene kits, 1,000 quilts and 300 family kits in one county to provide immediate relief. In the next phase of the response, we plan to distribute 240,000kg of rice, 6,000 quilt and 4,000 family kits.

The response will include those who have lost their homes or their houses are badly damaged and cannot be safely occupied.  The flood has caused extensive damage and destruction to household property resulting in thousands of people being evacuated and relocated in temporary shelter camps. Infrastructure have also been severely damaged.  In addition, most people have lost their harvest and food stock as much farmland has been flooded.

To find out about the situation in Jiangxi and how World Vision is reaching out to those affected in the flood, please click on the links below:
(1)        The Flood
(2)        World Vision China Sends Assessment Team to Flood-Hit Areas in Jiangxi Province
(3)        The 1st Batch of World Vision's Relief Items Arrives at Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province

With rainfalls forecast to remain heavy in the next few weeks, the severity of the floods may intensify further. Under the impact of both COVID-19 and the floods, the lives of many children are made even more vulnerable. This further increases the risk of children being expose to abuse and/or neglect. In these challenging times, World Vision continues to work with our supporters and partners on different initiatives to support of the most vulnerable children in China.

We invite you to join our work, both in the relief response and the longer welfare of children. A society is only as strong as its most vulnerable members. With your support, we can take concrete steps together to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children.

Sharing hope for children!