As a result, former Olympic tennis champion Zheng Qinwen has donated 1 million yuan, or $150,000, to relief efforts after the deadly flash floods and landslides along the China-Nepal border, according to the China Charity Federation.
The 23-year-old Chinese tennis star has donated as rescue and relief operations go on in areas hit by the disaster. The donation is intended to help the affected people and support relief from the floods and landslides in the area.
Zheng, who won the women’s individual gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is currently in New York for the US Open.
Zheng Donates 1 Million Yuan For Relief.
Zheng made her donation via a social media post, and the China Charity Federation announced it. The tennis player will continue to monitor the progress of the relief efforts and wished for persons affected by the disaster to overcome the situation and rebuild their homes, the organization said in a statement.
The donation of 1 million yuan is equivalent to around $150,000. It will help relieve the damage done by torrential rains and landslides that spread around the region near the China-Nepal border.
The disaster has caused huge destruction, with thousands of people killed or missing in the affected regions. For all of the glacial floods and landslides, some 4,500 people were missing and more than 900 deaths were recorded so far, the latest reports said.
The disaster has affected areas on both sides of the China-Nepal border, with Tibet among the areas hit by the flooding and landslides.
Flash Floods and Landslides Cause Major Destruction
The disaster followed severe flooding and landslides in the Himalayan region. The mudslide on the Nepal side on August 26 had resulted in heavy casualties and people missing around Gyirong Port in Gyirong County, Shigatse City, Tibet, the China Charity Federation said.
The affected area has been dealing with the consequences of the disaster as rescue teams continue to find missing people and authorities are trying to help.
Chinese businesses and public figures have been paying attention to the disaster. The China Charity Federation also announced that several Chinese companies would donate to disaster relief.
Hence, the immediate needs of the affected communities are emergency assistance, temporary resettlement, and rebuilding damaged infrastructure and homes.
Zheng has donated to disaster relief before
This is not the first time Zheng Qinwen has contributed to disaster relief.
The tennis player donated money after an earthquake in China. Recently, she gave 200,000 yuan (about $28,000) after an earthquake struck Jishishan County in Gansu Province in 2023, one of the tennis player’s supporters said.
Her latest contribution is much larger and comes as the scale of the Nepal-Tibet disaster continues to emerge.
Zheng will continue following the relief effort closely, the China Charity Federation said. She also expressed her sympathy and wishes for the victims to overcome the difficulties and rebuild their homes, said Ms. Wang.
Zheng is currently at the US Open
The donation comes as Zheng is competing at the US Open, one of tennis's four Grand Slam tournaments.
The Chinese athlete won Olympic women's singles gold at the Paris Games in 2024, cementing herself as China’s biggest sporting star. She is now back in Flushing Meadows after she made her way into the main draw.
Her US Open campaign comes after a tough few years in her career. Zheng has battled an injury and a drop in the world rankings, but she did get back in the main draw this year.
She defeated Kristina Liutova in the first round of the tournament and advanced to the second round, according to reports.
Zheng has been focused on her tennis campaign in New York, but her donation has brought the world's attention to the humanitarian crisis that is taking place along the China-Nepal border.
Relief Operations In Disaster-Hit Areas
Rescue and relief efforts continue as authorities struggle to cope with the extent of the flooding and landslides. Thousands of people are still missing, and the confirmed death toll has already surpassed 900, according to reports available on September 1.
The funds donated by Zheng will help the disaster response. The China Charity Federation has said that the donation will help in relief efforts in affected areas.
The focus now is clear from rescue operations on finding those missing people, helping displaced persons, and assisting affected communities in starting to recover.
In Zheng’s case, the donation is another contribution to her record of helping disaster relief efforts as she continues her professional tennis career.
