Thursday, May 15, 2008

NPR radio reporters in China during quake, aftermath

From NPR:

We wanted to make you aware of a story by host Melissa Block today on All Things Considered that brings an intimate perspective to the China earthquake tragedy.

Block spent a long, harrowing day in Dugiangyan with husband and wife Wang Wei, 34, and Fu Guanyu, 26, as they desperately watched an excavator digging into the ruins of an apartment building, two days after the disaster struck. Their 22-month-old son Wang Zhilu and Mr. Wang’s parents, who were caring for the toddler, were missing. The young mother recalls her child’s last words as she left for the day: “‘Mom, please don’t go.’”

The NPR News story ends sadly, as the body of Wang Zhilu was found in his grandfather’s arms, with his grandmother close behind. Block describes how the family begins the traditional customs of ushering the dead into the afterlife, a ritual being repeated thousands of times within the stricken country.

An online version of the story and photographs of the family are posted to the “Chengdu Diary” blog at: http://www.npr.org/blogs/chengdu/

Since the moments immediately following the earthquake, Block, All Things Considered senior host Robert Siegel and a team of NPR reporters and producers – in Chengdu, China, for a planned weeklong broadcast – have been reporting on-location throughout Sichuan on the widespread devastation and continuing relief efforts there. In addition to Block’s story, Siegel reports tonight on All Things Considered on how residents of Chengdu are aiding in the relief effort. He visits Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital that is short both on space and doctors, so is relying on unskilled volunteers and an overflow ward in its parking lot to treat the injured.

Audio, text and photos of all NPR News coverage from the earthquake in Sichuan are available at www.NPR.org All excerpts must be credited to NPR News. Television usage must include on-screen NPR News credit with NPR logo. To request an interview or permission to reuse audio, please see contact information is below. NPR photos of the earthquake’s aftermath are available by emailing: lperloff@npr.org All credit must read: © 2008 NPR News.

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