Taiwan’s representative office in Los Angeles would assist in the delivery of a private donation of essential supplies to people impacted by ongoing wildfires in California, officials said on Saturday.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles said that its staff on Saturday sent out 10,000 N95 masks and three boxes of protective goggles, which they had received from a Taiwanese donor,
The office said it would work with Tzu Chi USA, the American chapter of the Taiwan-based Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation, to deliver the supplies to relief workers and those affected by the disaster, which has destroyed about 10,000 buildings and displaced 150,000 people.
Photo courtesy of Chang Tien-chun via CNA
TECO in Los Angeles Deputy Director Chen Ling-hsin (陳令欣) said that the office has been paying close attention to the wildfires.
She urged Taiwanese who plan to travel to California to pay attention to disaster information for their own safety.
Air quality is poor and people sensitive to air pollution should wear masks, Chen said.
Debra Boudreaux (曾慈慧), chief executive officer of Tzu Chi USA, said the charity has set up a care center to provide shelter for residents in designed disaster areas.
The charity has also sent volunteers to three large shelters to visit people affected by the wildfires to provide them with blankets, clothing, N95 masks, food and other essentials, Boudreaux added.
Many people in the greater Los Angeles area are also facing psychological trauma and would need long-term support, she said.
The charity has contacted a counseling center in Los Angeles to provide assistance, she added.
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