NEW YORK (JTA) — In the wake of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake that affected Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee has made two emergency grants to disaster relief organizations in the region.
The initial grants of $10,000 each to the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute and International Blue Crescent will fund assessment and response teams to deliver relief items to survivors of the Monday quake, JDC announced.
In addition to the grants, experts from JDC’s disaster relief teams are consulting with local and global partners to ensure that survivors’ immediate needs are addressed. More than 300 people have been reported killed in the earthquake, which destroyed more than 7,000 homes in Afghanistan alone, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
“As we anxiously await details on the tragic loss of life and extent of the damage in South Asia, we are drawing on our vast experience, network of partners, and standing presence in the region to deploy a speedy Jewish response that ensures relief to survivors at their time of need,” JDC CEO Alan Gill said in a statement.
JDC has provided immediate relief and long-term assistance to victims of natural and man-made disasters around the globe, including Nepal, the Philippines, Haiti, Japan and South Asia after the Indian Ocean tsunami, and continues to rebuild infrastructure and community life in disaster-stricken regions.
JDC’s disaster relief programs are funded by special appeals of the Jewish Federations of North America and tens of thousands of individual donors. JDC coordinates its relief activities with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, Interaction and the United Nations.
Donations can be made at www.jdc.org/southasiaearthquake.
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