China´s response to disaster relief becomes template for others to follow, says U.S. volunteer

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by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang

NEW YORK, May 13 (Xinhua) -- When Robert Engle, an American photographer and designer, arrived in Sichuan last year days after the devastating earthquake rocked that beautiful piece of land in China, he was shocked by the aftermath of the disaster. But what impressed him most was China's response to the disaster relief, which he said other countries should follow.

"From what I witnessed, the government response in China would be a template for many countries to follow for disaster relief," said Engle who stayed 13 days together with disaster victims he never knew.

Engle did some volunteer work with the Red Cross in the aftermath of the "9.11" terror strike in the United States in 2001.He did what he noticed and had accumulated some experience in helping people to get over the tremendous problems they face in catastrophes.

Engle had planned the trip to China two and half months before the Sichuan earthquake happened. Many Americans had canceled their travel plans, but he insisted on going to the severely afflicted area, as "I looked at it as a great opportunity to see the human spirit in play."

The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 magnitude on the Richter scale occurred at 14:28:01.42 China Standard Time on May 12 in Sichuan province of China and killed 68,712 and left 17,921 missing.

"The government response was swift and the relief work was mobilized in the shortest possible time," he said.