Situation report update - Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
April 14, 2011
PDA continues to respond to needs in Japan in cooperation with our ecumenical and mission partners.
Disaster data
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) provided information in their most recent report:
- 4th strongest earthquake worldwide since 1900
- Tsunami up to 30 meters high inundated 433,000 square kilometers of land
- 492,000 people were evacuated
Damage
- Combined number of people dead and still missing at approximately 28,000
- 155,000 homes and buildings damaged or destroyed
- 2,126 roads, 56 bridges, 26 railways destroyed
- Estimated damages of $US309 billion
Ongoing challenges
- Rainy season ahead; damaged embankments mean greater vulnerability to flooding
- In the worst affected areas vital services such as electricity, gas, and water supply as well as sewage systems still not functioning
- 107,500 displaced people still living in evacuation centers
- Evacuation around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant will be long term
Situation Update
A woman at a north Japanese shelter supported by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) laments that the unthinkable has happened to her people — and continues to plague them.
"You know, this disaster we thought was something that happens in far away countries, and we never expected that it will happen to us. Aftershocks come every three minutes, and it is still unbelievable what has happened here."
Then she offers visitors to the shelter a piece of steamed sweet potato, her spirit of generosity stronger than her own wish to eat.
The scale of the twin earthquake and tsunami, along with the threat of nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, has now been compounded by severely cold weather. Although Japan is equipped with superior disaster response mechanisms, even it is struggling to deal with the disaster. Police report that 28,000 are dead or missing since March 11.
Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture, once a peaceful harbor city with lots of fisherman and seafood processing plants, was one of the most severely hit areas. Now all that can be seen are smashed houses, cars on top of graveyards, and ships literally on top of houses. All this is combined with a smell that is a mixture of oil, seawater and sewage.
"There are simply too many people … and we have not even grasped the total number of people who need assistance," says Abe, a middle aged, energetic man who has lived his life in the city and who is now in charge of a disaster volunteer center.
Organizing evacuation sites in Ishinomaki city has been challenging, he says. "This is our fault. We didn't really have room in our thoughts to consider proper management of evacuation sites until now, resulting in different evacuation sites being managed differently, making them difficult to coordinate with each other."
Although a member of the government relief structure, Abe's ideas differ from the government's plans for temporary shelters. "We would like to have temporary shelters for each affected ward instead of forcing people to scatter around. A sense of being with community members is very important in rehabilitation."
Response Continues
Thanks to faithful giving in 2010 to One Great Hour of Sharing $100,000 from Presbyterians was available for an immediate response. PDA, in cooperation with our ecumenical partners ACT (Action by Churches Together) Alliance and Church World Service (CWS), is helping some of the earthquake-affected people receive basic relief and medical care in Miyagi and Iwate prefectures in northeastern Japan. Mobile medical services in three shelters are treating 700 patients in a week for influenza, upper respiratory infections, stomach infections, vomiting, fever, skin diseases and wound infections.
Yogodawa Christian Hospital (YCH), our long-term mission partner in Japan, received a solidarity grant of $5,000 from funds that have been received designated for this disaster. Superintendent Masaaki Mukubo wrote, “Because of your faithful prayer support and partnership in Christ, God is moving us forward to be able to stand firm and provide relief work for people in Tohoku.” The hospital is continuing relief work based in Kamaishi, on the Sanriku rias coast of Iwate, which experienced severe damage from the March 11 earthquake. A focus is providing ongoing medical assistance to the community.
YCH reports high levels of stress, and a team is visiting survivors staying in homes and evacuation sites to offer counseling and consultation. Prayer is requested for emotional and spiritual healing as well as restoration for Kamaishi, Iwate.
Additional support will be provided as requests or proposals are received from our mission partners.
Specifics of the Response
The initial $100,000 from One Great Hour of Sharing funds has supported an immediate response to 5,000 households (about 25,000 individuals) now living at 100 evacuation sites in the northeastern area of Japan (the prefectures of Miyagi, Fukushima, Iwate, Ibaragi and Tochigi). These are locations where basic needs of food, water, sanitation, electricity and fuel are not being met. Response has included:
- ready-to-eat food.
- sanitation kits including napkins and soap, to fill the significant sanitation and hygiene gaps.
- potable water (one potential substitute for water could include prepared green tea.)
- blankets to help protect people from the cold, which is becoming an increasingly dire need as fuel and gas supplies run out.
- batteries to maintain radio contact and to enable people to receive vital news on nuclear and radiation related developments.
- gas and fuel supplies.
What you can do
Many of you are asking how you can help. Complete assessments have just begun. You can help the church in this response and stand in the GAP for those affected by these disasters.
GIVE. Faithful members who share their financial blessings through the One Great Hour of Sharing offering are already helping to fund the ongoing work in Japan. Please consider increasing your support to this special offering this year. Special needs and opportunities have arisen in response to this current crisis, and PDA invites you to share your blessing to designated gifts that will provide the resources needed to assist with immediate, long-term and unmet needs of this and other disasters.
Individuals may give by phone at (800) 872-3283, through your congregation, or by mailing a check to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
Please include DR000148 on your check to support relief efforts wherever disasters occur.
Support exclusively for response to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami disasters can be designated for DR000117.
Give online for disasters around the world
Give online for response to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Congregations should send donations through their normal mission giving channels.
ACT. As you follow the situation in the news, please consider planning a special worship service using some of the resources available on this web site.
Stay informed and share information about the need with others. Sign up to receive PDA Rapid Information Network (PDA-RIN) email notices to alert you of additional needs.
PRAY. Please keep the people of Japan, and other areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami, in your thoughts and prayers. Examples of prayers from the Office of Theology and Worship can be found on this website. PC(USA) leaders have issued a Call to Prayer.