HOUSTON -- Houston's Chinese community plans to send help to the earthquake-ravaged area in their homeland, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Many Houstonians spent hours Monday trying to reach family members more than 7,500 miles from Houston.

"Immediately, I tried to call China and I couldn't get through. I think maybe the line was too busy," said Jean Chen, who reached her family early Monday afternoon. "My father said they heard a very, very noisy quake. A very noisy ... they thought something like broken. Very noisy … immediately they realized an earthquake has happened."

Leaders met at the Ocean Palace Restaurant in southwest Houston on Monday night to talk about how to raise money for the Chinese Red Cross.

The vice president of the Chinese Service Center, Harry Sun, said, "This earthquake really is so devastating, and the scale is so great. It is unbelievable it come so suddenly."

The earthquake destroyed Yang's family's home, but his parents were OK.

Yang said, "He said that most of the houses were flattened and destroyed because my hometown is about 40 kilometers from the epicenter ... the other side of the mountain."

Yang said he plans to leave for China next week and community leaders plan to announce their fundraising plans by the weekend. Anyone who would like to contribute can make a donation to Chinese Philanthropy Global Partnership, Inc.