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NEPAL — After capturing drone footage of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Nepal, several Utahns and a California resident created and released a documentary.
The earthquake hit April 25 and killed more than 5,000 people, becoming the most powerful recorded earthquake in Nepal since 1934, according to the Associated Press.
At the time of the earthquake, Salt Lake City residents Lindsay Daniels and Chris Davis were in Delhi, India, with San Francisco resident Casey Allred filming “Stolen Innocence,” a documentary about human trafficking in India. The filmmakers had friends in Nepal and decided to go see how they could help.
Allred said the group arrived in Nepal 24 hours after the big earthquake and stayed there for five weeks to help with relief efforts. They teamed up with the largest volunteer group in Kathmandu, Nepal, with over 200 volunteers, 75 motorbikes and two dozen trucks, Daniels said. They began delivering medical and food supplies to victims of the earthquake.
“For many Nepali who are suffering, we are the first ones to help them,” she said. “What started as a trip to find lost friends has turned into an amazing effort of local college students and entrepreneurs saving lives.”
The crew brought their camera equipment to Nepal and decided to document the damage of the earthquake.
“Amongst so much destruction and grief, we saw locals taking it upon themselves with zero alternative motive except to give a helping hand and save lives,” Allred said. “We wanted to make the documentary to, first, highlight the destruction and pain the people of Nepal are going through, and second, to show the success of the local Nepali and what they are doing to get out of this mess and how everyone else can help make a difference through donating.”
The group released the documentary “Nepal Rises” on June 24 and hopes to raise money through their online charity* to build temporary classrooms and provide clean water for Nepali citizens.
Allred said he had been working in Nepal for six years and that the documentary was very personal for him.
“I felt as if I had arrived to a war-torn country, as many things were not familiar to me,” he said. “National monuments were destroyed, many homes wiped out and the people were afraid of ongoing aftershocks. … The people of Nepal banded together as neighbors, friends and families and helped each other out. Many went out of their ways to provide food, shelter and medical supplies. The true heroes of this tragedy are the people of Nepal themselves.”
The full documentary is available online.
*KSL.com does not assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
