(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver) — First Nations leaders from British Columbia are on a fact-finding mission supported by the Assembly of First Nations to the earthquake zone in the Chinese province of Sichuan.
The latest total figures available show there are 10 million homeless from the May 12, 2008 earthquake and its aftershocks, which left 68,000 confirmed dead, 80,000 people missing and 360,000 injured.
As relief efforts and rebuilding continue, First Nations are willing to assist the Qiang Indigenous People in Sichuan province, particularly in the area of Mianyang County, including the city of Beichuan, which was heavily damaged by the earthquake. Of the 91,000 people living in Beichuan city 19,000 died. Beichuan city is 100% destroyed and now inaccessible to the public.