Heifer China Staff Safe Following Weekend Earthquake

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (April 24, 2013) - Heifer International has learned that Heifer China’s staff is safe following a weekend earthquake that struck the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan. The Chinese government is reporting that nearly 200 were killed and more than 12,000 injured in Saturday morning’s 7.0 magnitude quake.

Currently, Heifer has no projects in Yu’an City, the epicenter of the earthquake, but in years past the organization provided goats and worked in a dairy program with area smallholder farm families there.

Heifer is working on earthquake rehabilitation projects nearby in the area impacted by the May 12, 2008, Wenchuan Earthquake, but due to limited access and communications, Heifer China staff has received no reports of injuries to people or animals, or structural damage.

Once government and other emergency workers have cleared the first response phase, Heifer China plans to conduct an agricultural and livestock loss survey in the affected areas with an eye toward possibly providing livelihood rehabilitation and community strengthening in the future.

Information will be updated as it becomes available.

About Heifer International:
Heifer International’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in more than 40 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self-reliant. For more information, visit www.heifer.org, read our blog, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or call (800) 696-1918.