(15/02/2008) The United Evangelical Mission (UEM) supports the aid efforts of its member churches EER in Rwanda and CBCA in the DR Congo after the earthquake which hit both countries on 3rd February killing at least 40 people.

The Episcopal Church of Rwanda (EER) and the Baptist Church in Central Africa (CBCA) receive 5,000 euros each. The emergency aid efforts focus on providing drinking water, medicine, food, blankets, matresses, and basic kitchen tools to people whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

One of the most hit spots in Rwanda is the Cyangugu Diocese of the EER. 21 people died here while hundreds were injured. As the earthquake struck Sunday morning at 9:35 am, many believers were gathered in the main church of the Diocese in Cyangugu, when they felt the earth trembling. The building was damaged severly, the EER says in a report.

The Rwandan Government sent helicopters to evacuate injured people to Kigali as the local health station and the hospital in Gihundwe were soon overcroweded.

The first quake, which was registered with 6.1 on the Richter skale was followed by second one three hours later, measuring 5,0 on the Richter skale.

Bukavu in the South Kivu (DR Congo) has also been affected much by the tremors. The town is situated only 20 kilometres from the epicentre of the quakes. Nine people were killed while 211 people were injured severly. 815 houses have been damaged by the quake. Furthermore, 12 schools, 15 churches, and 11 social instituations in the area have been hit, some of them severly. Among the affected institutions is one vocational training centre of the CBCA as well as eight health stations, a CBCA reports says.