Canadian Red Cross—one of the largest contributors to the Sichuan earthquake relief and recovery efforts

On May 12, 2008, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8 devastated the southwestern provinces of China, leaving more than 69,000 dead, 18,000 missing, 375,000 injured, and 15 million displaced persons.

As a result of the tireless efforts of 180,000 Red Cross Society of China staff and volunteers, and the generous donations of Canadians and of the Government of Canada, more than one million survivors have received Red Cross relief supplies.

The generosity of Canadians in response to this devastating disaster was swift and unparalleled. Their donations, along with contributions from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the governments of Ontario and British Columbia, enabled the Canadian Red Cross to be one of the largest contributors worldwide to post-earthquake relief and recovery efforts in China. CIDA contributed more than $17 million to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through an initial contribution and then as part of a matching-fund program.

The Canadian Red Cross manages CIDA's emergency stockpile in Mississauga, Ontario, of humanitarian supplies, including tents, blankets, jerrycans, and kitchen sets. This reserve allows Canada to respond to crises and to deploy supplies in a speedy and efficient manner. Following the Sichuan earthquake, the Canadian Red Cross supported the deployment of 700 tents from the CIDA stockpile. As well, the Canadian Red Cross, through its own resources, delivered 7,250 urgently needed family-size tents to survivors. These supplies during the recovery period helped many of those most affected by the earthquake.

Thanks to the generous support of Canadian donors and CIDA, the Canadian Red Cross will continue to support survivors as they rebuild their homes, lives, and communities in the months and years to come.