Hong Kong Tycoons, Foundations Donate Millions for Nepal-Tibet Flood Relief
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Major Hong Kong business conglomerates and charitable foundations have pledged substantial financial support for victims of catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border. Tycoon Li Ka-shing's business empire, along with Henderson Land Development and the Lee Shau Kee Foundation, each committed 15 million yuan to relief efforts through the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government's disaster relief account . The disaster, which struck last Wednesday when a massive wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river along the Himalayan border, has resulted in devastating casualties with over 1,000 confirmed dead and thousands still missing . Hong Kong's Nepalese community and various local organizations have also mobilized independently, raising an additional HK$70 million for the Disaster Relief Fund . A joint university research team from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Sichuan University became the first academic institution to deploy experts to the disaster zone for technical assessment .
Key Points
- Li Ka-shing's CK Asset Holdings, CK Hutchison Holdings, and the Li Ka Shing Foundation each pledged 15 million yuan (US$2.2 million) for flood relief
- Henderson Land Development and the Lee Shau Kee Foundation also committed 15 million yuan each to the disaster relief efforts
- As of Tuesday 8am, 1,010 people were reported dead and 4,599 missing in the disaster, while Tibet reported 16 deaths and 546 missing
- Hong Kong's Nepalese community contributed HK$50 million to the Disaster Relief Fund, with HK$20 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club and 30 million yuan from the Macau government
- A research team led by associate research fellow Li Yao conducted drone-based mapping in the avalanche source zone as the first university-based technical force in the core disaster area
Why It Matters
The swift response from Hong Kong's business community demonstrates the city's integration with broader Chinese disaster relief mechanisms and its capacity to mobilize resources internationally. The deployment of the PolyU-Sichuan University joint institute team marks a new level of technical cooperation between Hong Kong and mainland institutions in humanitarian operations, potentially setting a precedent for future collaborative disaster response efforts .
The swift response from Hong Kong's business community demonstrates the city's integration with broader Chinese disaster relief mechanisms and its capacity to mobilize resources internationally. The deployment of the PolyU-Sichuan University joint institute team marks a new level of technical cooperation between Hong Kong and mainland institutions in humanitarian operations, potentially setting a precedent for future collaborative disaster response efforts .