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Efforts are continuing to trace two New Zealanders who could be in the vicinity of China's devastating earthquake in Sichuan province.
Media have predicted the death toll from the 7.9 magnitude quake that rocked the southwest region on Monday night could rise to 19,000.
The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade has managed to contact 38 New Zealanders reported as being in the Sichuan and Chongqing provinces. They are all unharmed and no longer still in the affected area.
The New Zealand Embassy in Beijing has been trying to trace the two still not accounted for says it is difficult because communications systems are damaged.
Chinese authorities have not identified any foreign nationals among the casualties.
Some of the New Zealanders contacted had registered on the www.safetravel.govt.nz
site as being in Sichuan and Chongqing provinces.
The website encourages people to leave their travel plans so they can be contacted during emergencies.
It is also possible there are others not yet known about who were in the region.
Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter yesterday expressed his condolences to all those affected by the earthquake.
More than 150,000 New Zealanders are of Chinese origin - many of them new migrants - and events in the earthquake zone would have affected many New Zealand families, the minister said.
He had written to Chinese community groups outlining the Government's response to the tragedy and letting organisations know who they could contact for further information.
Mr Carter said he had just finished writing to Burmese community groups in New Zealand to express his sympathy over the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, which tore through Myanmar last week, when he heard of the second disaster.
An Auckland couple have donated $200,000 to aid relief efforts in China and are encouraging others to offer support through a charitable trust being set up to help earthquake victims.
Zhaowu Shen and Suzhen Zhou of Remuera, who own a company involved in real estate and other business, gave the money to authorities yesterday morning.
Speaking on behalf of the couple, who speak little English, lawyer and broadcaster Raymond Huo told the Herald they were among many from Auckland's Chinese community who contacted him yesterday, wanting to help earthquake victims.
Mr Huo said 11 different organisations had contacted him by last night, also wanting to make donations.
He said Mr Shen would act as independent trustee to the trust, through which donations would be collected and passed on.
He expected to open a bank account for the trust this morning.
Mr Shen had previously sponsored the NZ Symphony Orchestra to travel to China, including Beijing and the Sichuan province, Mr Huo said.
"When he heard about the tragedy his basic instinct was to do something to help the needy victims."
* Anyone with concerns about family and friends in the quake region can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on (04) 439-8000.
- With NZHERALD STAFF
