Zurich's swift response to the recent devastating earthquake in Nepal

The devastation caused by the recent Nepal earthquake has drawn a swift global response to provide aid and assistance, with Zurich among those moving quickly to help.

The magnitude 7.8 quake killed more than 6,000 people and injured thousands, with widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. More than 8 million people have been affected in some way by this tragic event.

Within five hours of the disaster, Zurich had organized the evacuation of a large and weary tour group from the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, and brought them safely back to Hong Kong. Just 60 hours after the quake struck, Zurich had also established a line of communication among all of the major assistance organizations in the region. The Zurich team was continuing its work late in the week following the earthquake to account for around 30 remaining customers to ensure as much as possible is being done to help the injured.

In addition to our on-the-ground support, Zurich employees and the Z Zurich Foundation, which is run by the Zurich Insurance Group, work together to meet the need of amplifying the response efforts, strengthening the capacity of the aid organizations and providing support to those affected by the crisis through financial support. In this regard, the Z Zurich Foundation will match Zurich employee donations to the relief effort up to CHF250,000 (i.e. around 2 million HKD). In Hong Kong, we have raised a total of HKD25,000 in a Charity Food Sale. The donation is then matched by the Z Zurich Foundation, raising a total of HKD50,000 in total for Oxfam to support their volunteer work in Nepal.

Our humane and rapid response to this disaster, as shown through the determined focus of our claims teams and our assistance network on the ground, is a true testament to the spirit of Zurich.