BEIJING, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- United Nations today contributed US$ 8 million from the Central Emergency Relief Fund to the Chinese government and UN agencies are stepping up their support to authorities in China to mobilize relief efforts in the wake of last Monday's devastating earthquake in Sichuan province.
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Mr. Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator in China, said this contribution was an expression of solidarity with the Chinese people. He commended the extraordinary response of the Chinese Government and stressed the readiness of the UN System to support the relief and reconstruction efforts over many months to come.
"The United Nations stands ready to provide further support, as required, to the Government of China in its efforts to respond to the humanitarian needs caused by the disaster," he said.
Upon receipt of the grant, Mr. Wang Yi, First Vice Foreign Minister of China, expressed his gratefulness on behalf of the Chinese people.
Meanwhile, UN Agencies are stepping up their support to Chinese authorities in their relief efforts.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has dispatched its first team in the field, to provide assessment and psycho-social support for children located in three child welfare institutes. It has also procured US$ 430,000 worth of relief supplies including 1,000 tents, 15,000 blankets and 60,000 school kits, as well as health equipment, medicines, water, and sanitation materials. It is now looking into buying additional large tents for schools to be able to resume activity as soon as possible.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has already delivered ready-to-eat noodles for survivors of the earthquake that struck Sichuan province on Monday - enough to feed 100,000 people for one week. WFP is purchasing additional rice wheat flower cooking oil.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has allocated $100,000 for emergency relief activities, which will be used in part to help coordinate the relief response and make needs assessments. Through various programmes on the ground, it is also providing tents, quilts, clothing, food, drinking water and medicines with the value of RMB 500,000 (around US$ 70,000) to some of the most affected communities, schools in particular.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has offered assessment support for environmental risk assessment and dam safety.
UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) contributed US$ 50,000 for victims of deadly quake.
The UN High commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has made a $US 60,000 cash contribution to the Chinese Government.
World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing a Communicable Disease Risk Assessment and provides technical guidance on critical health issues to the Chinese Ministry of Health.
State media report that the official death toll has risen to more than 40,075 and nearly 247,645 others injured. An estimated 3.3 million homes have been destroyed and 15.6 million others have been partially damaged.
The quake measured 8,0 on the Richter scale when it struck south-western China on Monday 12 May at 2:28 p.m. local time. At least 4,400 aftershocks have since been recorded.