Newsletter No. 319

中大通訊 CUHK Newsletter 坐言起行　紓緩蜀困 CUHK Lends Timely Hand to Earthquake Relief Efforts 四 川汶川縣於5月12日發生黎克特制八級地 震，驚撼全國，傷亡枕藉，令人痛心。在 危急存亡之秋，救援工作刻不容緩，中文大學多位 教員先後隨不同組織急赴當地協助救災。校內各單 位也迅速回應，捐款支援災民，或運用專業協助重 建。 公共衞生學院助理教授陳英凝教授（左上圖）隨無 國界醫生一支工作隊，於5月16日前往四川。陳教 授表示，大型災難發生後，衞生情況欠佳，災民容 易出現腹瀉、呼吸道感染等疾病，故她前往災區教 導災民注意衞生，並協助評估災情，提供援助。 剛獲頒中大榮譽院士銜的中醫中藥研究所所長梁秉 中教授，也組織由他創辦、專在內地山區義診的 「關懷行動」醫療隊，於5月22日啟程往四川。他 們應當地醫院要求，攜同抗生素、止痛藥、破傷風 藥等出發，並提供人手和技術補給。 另一位立即趕往當地協助的教員為矯形外科及創傷 學講座教授梁國穗教授。他於5月15日隨醫院管理 局（醫管局）醫療籌備小組往成都華西醫院，了解 當地所需的協助，以統籌醫管局及後的救援安排。 他又協助當地醫療人員施行手術。 大學迅速開立賑災捐款帳戶，校長更發信呼籲校 董、教職員、校友和學生「解囊濟急，紓緩蜀 困」，截至5月29日，共籌得款項逾一百二十八萬 元。校方又籲請全體中大人在5月19至21日全國哀 悼期間，以樸淡言行、素雅服飾向已逝者表懷緬， 向仍在水深火熱中的同胞表支持。 5月21日晚上，中大內地本科生聯合會及內地學生 學者聯誼會在百萬大道舉辦燭光追思會，逾600師 生、包括副校長鄭振耀教授、大學輔導長何培斌教 授及學生事務處處長梁汝照先生出席，肅立哀悼死 難者，並以燭光砌出心形及「5.12」字樣，為同胞 送上祝福。 除了前線的救援，了解災情的影響範圍及其他相關 細節，對救援和建復工作也非常關鍵。太空與地球 科學信息研究所在這關頭發揮重要作用，與不同機 構合作，利用遙感衛星，從高空多角度拍攝災區影 像，協力全面評估山泥傾瀉或坍塌的可能情況，讓 當局及時預警，疏散居民，避免再造成重大傷亡。 研究所蒐集的信息已上載到新啟動的網站（ www. iseis.cuhk.edu.hk/gb/special/sichuan.htm ） ，內容 包括距離震央10至600公里各縣市人口的分布、各 受災縣市總人口，以及最新傷亡人數等。網站會不 斷更新，為救災和重建工作提供最新資料。 T he devastating earthquake measuring eight on the Richter scale in Sichuan province on 12 May shocked the whole nation. Rescue work had to proceed immediately. Capitalizing on their expertise, members of the CUHK community wasted no time in devoting themselves to the rescue efforts. Several CUHK faculty flew to Sichuan with different organizations to help the victims. Different units of the University also offered their assistance by donating money or applying their technical know- how to help rebuild the affected areas. Prof. Chan Ying-yang Emily (above left), assistant professor at the School of Public Health, departed for Sichuan with Médecins Sans Frontières on 16 May. As diarrhoea and respiratory infections may easily break out after a catastrophe due to poor hygiene, she taught the victims about hygiene, assessed their needs and offered other kinds of assistance. After receiving an honorary fellowship from CUHK on 19 May, Prof. Leung Ping-chung, director of the Institute of Chinese Medicine, left for Sichuan on 22 May leading a medical team called ‘Operation Concern’, which he had founded with the aim of providing treatment and care to people with disabilities in remote mountainous regions of China. As requested by hospitals in Sichuan, they brought along drugs and provided manpower and technical assistance to the hospitals. Prof. Leung Kwok-sui, Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, flew to Chengdu on 15 May with the initial assessment team of the Hospital Authority. They assessed the needs of West China Hospital for further emergency deployment and Prof. Leung also operated on the victims. Back in Hong Kong, the University promptly set up a relief fund account and urged Council members, colleagues, alumni and students to donate. As at 29 May, it has raised over HK$1.28 million. Out of respect for the dead and as a gesture of support for the survivors, the University advised its members to be plain in speech and attire during the national mourning period from 19 to 21 May. The CUHK Mainland Undergraduate Association and the CUHK Chinese Students and Scholars Association jointly organized a memorial service on 21 May at the University Mall. Over 600 staff and students, including Prof. Jack Cheng, Pro- Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, Prof. Ho Puay-peng, University Dean of Students and Mr. Leung Yu-chiu Raymond, director, Office of Student Affairs, attended the service. The University’s Institute of Space and Earth Information Science took aerial pictures of the devastation using various remote satellites in collaboration with other parties. The pictures allow assessment of the possibility of landslide and collapse, thereby helping to prevent further damage. The institute has set up a website ( www.iseis.cuhk.edu.hk/ gb/special/sichuan.htm ) containing data on population distributions in the cities and counties located 10 km to 600 km from the epicentre, the population of each affected city and county, and the latest casualty figures. The data are updated regularly and sent to the Chinese government for relief and rebuilding purposes.