Natural Disaster Emergency Relief Perth

Natural Disaster Emergency Relief

Perth’s emergency relief work was built on practical principles of being focused, direct, and timely: first assess the disaster, then distribute aid, and continue follow-up. During the 1999 Moora floods, volunteers entered the disaster area after coordination with many parties and distributed cash vouchers. After Tropical Cyclone Seroja in 2021, volunteers once again travelled a long distance to provide emergency relief, completing damage assessment, beneficiary registration, and follow-up distribution to help affected families first stabilize their basic living conditions amid the chaos. After natural disasters, what is damaged is not only houses and property, but also people’s sense of security. Perth’s years of experience in emergency relief have shown that delivering supplies and delivering caring companionship must go together, so disaster survivors know they are not facing it alone.

On 17 January, Tzu Chi volunteers in Perth took to the streets to raise funds for the Australian bushfires. A total of 30 volunteers were mobilized. They assembled at the office at 8:30 a.m., divided into seven groups, and raised both awareness and donations in the city centre at different times of the day. The fundraising activity continued until 8 p.m. and concluded successfully.

Many members of the public took out their wallets and responded to the Australian bushfire street fundraising with concrete action.

The strong winds and heavy rain of Tropical Cyclone Seroja caused severe damage in the town of Northampton. Fearless Tzu Chi volunteers travelled all the way from Perth, 500 kilometres away, bringing sincere love and care to a corner that was close to being forgotten. One month later, they delivered timely warmth by distributing cash cheques and eco-friendly blankets to affected residents.

One week after the storm, volunteers brought a generator to a vulnerable family during disaster assessment visits

Rob Horstman, head of the Northampton Community Emergency Response Centre, said that since the storm, townspeople had not seen one another for a long time. The distribution event that day brought everyone together and gave them a valuable opportunity to meet and talk. He was grateful that so many people had helped after the storm. Through his contact and meetings with the volunteers, he felt the sincerity of Tzu Chi volunteers and was deeply moved by the origin and spirit of the Bamboo Bank era.