- Title: QUAKE-NEPAL/MICHELLE YEOH Actress Michelle Yeoh join relief work in Nepal
- Date: 16th May 2015
- Summary: RAMKOT, NEPAL (MAY 16, 2015) (REUTERS) VILLAGERS LOOKING AT THE ARRIVAL OF A TRUCK ACTRESS, MICHELLE YEOH, WALKING TOWARDS THE TRUCK CHILDREN YEOH CARRYING A CHILD BUDDHIST MONK HANDING OUT RICE PACK OF RICE YEOH HANDING OUT RICE VILLAGERS RECEIVING RICE YEOH GIVING OUT SUPPLIES FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, MICHELLE YEOH, SAYING: "It's about two weeks ago when the first earthquake struck I was at that time in Kathmandu. At that present moment all I could remember was being ushered out of the room where we were, because it happened very quickly I don't think any of us was aware cos there was no warning. It just hit us basically." VILLAGERS GATHERING IN FRONT OF A CONCRETE BUILDING TWO SACKS OF RICE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, MICHELLE YEOH, SAYING: "I think I'd conquered the biggest thing which was fear. I felt there was no need to be afraid, it was very important to come back, to come back to show the appreciation for the people who took such great care of us and to show the people here in Nepal that we care." VARIOUS OF WOMAN LOOKING AT AID DISTRIBUTION (SOUNDBITE) (Nepali) RESIDENT OF RAMKOT, SUBARNA TAMANG SAYING: "I'm very happy - this is the first time I have received aid." VILLAGERS WATCHING AID DISTRIBUTION CHILD (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, MICHELLE YEOH, SAYING: "I'm here in Kathmandu, in Nepal right now. I think the message to all our international friends, to all our friends globally who are not here, who are living a good, safe live at home: help our friends here in Nepal. Give them what you can, but give cleverly, give to the right people, to the right NGOs. We must help the government do the right things." CHILDREN WATCHING AID BEING DISTRIBUTED AID DISTRIBUTION ONGOING YEOH GREETING CHILD CHILD YEOH GIVING OUT AID VARIOUS VILLAGERS APPLAUDING AID DISTRIBUTION IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 31st May 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nepal
- Country: Nepal
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAAJCGWUZ1GHHM3ETTT6C3AN729
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Malaysian Hollwood actress Michelle Yeoh joined relief efforts in quake hit Nepal on Saturday (May 16), helping to distribute aid packages as she called on the international community to do more to help the victims of one of the biggest natural disasters to hit the small Asia country in recent memory.
The Himalayan nation was struck by two quakes in three weeks, destructing buildings and causing landslide and avalanche, injuring some 76,000 and damaging or destroying hundreds of thousands of buildings, including ancient temples and monuments.
The Malaysian star was in Nepal's capital Kathmandu with her husband Jean Todt when the 7.8-magnitude quake hit on April 25.
"It's about two weeks ago when the first earthquake struck I was at that time in Kathmandu. At that present moment all I could remember was being ushered out of the room where we were, because it happened very quickly I don't think any of us was aware cos there was no warning. It just hit us basically," said Yeoh after giving out food packages to locals in the small town of Ramkot.
The "Tomorrow Never Dies" star was in Nepal as the ambassador of non-government organization, "Live to Love", as a way to show her appreciation to the people.
"I think I'd conquered the biggest thing, which was fear. I felt there was no need to be afraid, it was very important to come back, to come back to show the appreciation for the people who took such great care of us and to show the people here in Nepal that we care," Yeoh told Reuters.
The combined death toll from the recent quakes is approaching the just over 8,500 who died in an earthquake in 1934 - the worst natural disaster currently on record to hit Nepal.
About 70 families received the relief items on Saturday which included rice and daily necessities.
The mountainous village at the outskirts of Kathmandu was badly damaged by the two quakes. Most of the buildings collapsed and villagers are now staying in tents at open space on fear that another major earthquake could hit.
Due to logistic issue its very difficult for relief workers to reach the village.
Villager Subarna Tamang said he was delighted at the arrival of the relief packages, the first time he had received aid.
Yeoh also called on the international community to do more to help those in need in Nepal, but warned that some aid relief agencies and non-governmental organisations, or NGOs, were doing more to aid the country and its people than others.
"I'm here in Kathmandu, in Nepal right now. I think the message to all our international friends, to all our friends globally who are not here, who is living a good, safe live at home: help our friends here in Nepal. Give them what you can but give cleverly, give to the right people, to the right NGOs we must help the government do the right things," she said.
The United Nations had made a flash appeal of 423 million dollar to reconstruct the battered nation.
It estimates at least three million people will need tents, water, food and medicines over the next three months. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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