56,000 Tibetan Nomads' Lives Shattered in Tibet

This morning (March 15) we have received devastating news from east Tibet, that in Sershul, Serta and Dege (Sichuan province) 19,545 Tibetan nomads have lost all their livestock, 56,608 without food, and 25,470 people suffering from cold related diseases. This news is worse than what we expected at the time of launching our emergency appeals, first on February 7th and up-dates on March 1st.

In our March 1st appeal we have records of Sheshul county only. Today our representative has reported figures in Serta and Dege areas as well. Now, number of shattered lives of nomads in these regions (where no foreign relief has yet reached) has grown to an unprecedented level.

This devastation was caused by continuous snow falls for a period of five months bringing temperature as low as minus 45 C. It was the worst snowfalls in one hundred years. Thousands of nomads are already suffering from cold related diseases, and thousands of them are leaving the area to beg in low lands.

Tibet Foundation is a registered charity established in London in 1985 helping the Tibetans, both in exile and in Tibet. Under their Aid to Tibet programme, the Foundation has already been supporting some schools and hospitals in the past four years.

We have now set up a long term sustainable assistance programme. We plan to visit the affected areas in two weeks time. Your commitment of financial assistance is crucial. Please contact Phuntsog Wangyal at Tibet Foundation, 10 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SH UK

Tel. 44-171-404 2889 Fax: 44-171-404 2366

E-Mail getza@gn.apc.org