Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Australia.

In Queensland state’s worst flooding in half a century, over 200,000 residents have been affected across 22 towns, with three people who perished since January 1 alone, for a total of 10 lives lost since the floods began last November. As Australian military personnel brought emergency assistance to the hard-hit Rockhampton area, officials stated that extensive damage to the region’s infrastructure, including major roads, bridges, and railways, may take months to repair.

When first alerted to worsening conditions in early December, Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately donated AUS$10,000 in emergency aid, expressing her sympathies and prayers, as she requested that our nearby Association members please offer help to the most affected. This amount was in addition to a AUS$10,000 donation made by Supreme Master Ching Hai toward the efforts of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in rescuing stranded animal companions.

(All in English)
Australian Correspondent (F): Here we are in Dalby, Queensland, Australia, at the Dalby Agriculture College, where families are coming to get relief aid, food, and our truck is here, and we’re here with Juliette. Juliette, what’s been happening here at the Agriculture College?

Juliette – Volunteer chef, Dalby relief center (F): So we’re just housing who we can in the area, but unfortunately Dalby is pretty much out of water. So, at the moment we’re struggling on housing, so we’ve got to try and move them on to everywhere else, but of course everywhere else is still cut. A lot of people here have lost everything they own. They have nothing. Some of them didn’t even get out with their shoes. Every day they’re just sort of waiting to hear when they can get home and when they can try and start again.

VOICE: Our Association’s relief team in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia prepared over 500 family packages of basic supplies, including vegan baked beans, pasta noodles, water, fruit, fruit juice, vegan pet foods, biscuits and chocolate, as well as other necessities. These, along with fresh food supplies to be cooked as meals for the public, were delivered to families and their animal companions at the relief center in Dalby, the first of several flooded areas being checked on by the team. Our Association’s relief team then delivered more materials to the Western Downs Council Depot for distribution to other still-inundated towns.

Juliette – Volunteer chef (F): On behalf of everyone in Dalby and the districts, we thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for this. This is awesome! This is awesome – just to not even know about it and just out of the kindness of your heart.

VOICE: With appreciation for the efforts of the Australian military, Dalby Agriculture College, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and all other personnel, we also join in thanking Supreme Master Ching Hai for her unconditional assistance to the flood victims. Our condolences to the families of lost loved ones, as we pray for the affected residents’ safe recoveries and that through our kinder lifestyles, such traumatic events globally are minimized.