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Bhutanese Refugees In Philadelphia Mourn For Victims Of Nepal Earthquake

By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia is home to about one thousand Bhutanese refugees who resettled here after spending nearly two decades living in Nepal, a nation devastated by Saturday's massive earthquake. Their community is finding peace an ocean away from the devastation.

"Our heart goes out to all those people," says Madhap Sherma, president of Bhutanese American Organization of Philadelphia.

He is part of a group of Bhutanese refugees who fled Nepal several years ago to take up residence in Philadelphia. But now he's heartbroken hearing the plight of a friend who was living in their former home in the devastated country.

"He was telling me that there's only one ambulance in the entire village, and there's only three policeman," Sherma says. "I have many friends that have lost their homes, their close family members in Nepal and it's a sad situation."

That's because the 7.8 magnitude quake collapsed structures, leaving tens of thousands in the cold with a rising death toll. But on Sunday, Sherma and his group are miles away in mind and body.

He says tilling the soil in this new HAIS Pennsylvania community garden near Rhawn and Verree Streets in Northeast Philadelphia brings peace as they try to find a way to help.

"This is indeed a big therapy and support," Sherma says. "The entire Bhutanese organization is trying to collect some funds to send to those organizations."

Funds that will likely be needed once the devastation ends.

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