After news of natural disasters in Myanmar and China spread around the world, Ben Tre Red Cross, in responding to the call by the Vietnamese Committee of the Red Cross, sent appeal to local people across the province to raise money for relief aid to the natural disaster victims. On May 4, cyclone Nargis swept through Myanmar killing nearly 100,000. Then more than a week later, on May 12, an 8-Richter strong earthquake shook the Chinese Southwestern province of Sichuan killing 62,664 and injuring 247,683.