Report on Japan Quake and Tsunami Appeal

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View images from Japan

JAPAN EARTHQUAKE TSUNAMIRead Updates

 

 

On Friday 11th March a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake occurred off the shore of Japan, triggering a Tsunami that swept across the the country with waves of up to 10 metres reaching over 10 kilometres inland. In August 2011, the death toll was estimated at over 15,000 people.

The earthquake caused extensive damage in Japan, including heavy damage to roads and railways, as well as fires in many areas. Around 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan were left without electricity and 1.4 million without water; and over 300,000 people were evacuated nation-wide. As many as 3,400 buildings were either destroyed or badly damaged. Many electrical generators were taken down, and at least two nuclear reactors are experiencing severe difficulties.  Japan continued to suffer aftershocks.

Following the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami, UnitingWorld’s National Director Kerry Enright contacted the leadership of the United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ) to offer support. The UCCJ was the original protestant church in Japan and continues to be one of the largest with a membership of approximately 195,000.

As a church with extensive networks in Japan, the UCCJ begun the processes of offering assistance in amongst the devastation. The UCCJ established an Emergency Committee, with members of that committee acting on the ground in Sendai to lay the groundwork for sending teams of volunteers to provide:

  1. Food and water
  2. Medical support
  3. Safe Shelter
  4. Pastoral and counseling services

One of the districts severely affected by the tsunami was the Tohoku District, of which Sendai is the major city. In the days following the disaster, UCCJ leadership ascertained that the main student centre of the UCCJ in Sendai had not been damaged and that there was clean water available. They then planned to establish the centre as the main hub for the relief effort. The team then visited 10 other UCCJ churches in the area plus a number of schools, where they accessed the buildings’ suitability as relief centres for areas most drastically in the district.

In light of their work on the ground, the UCCJ leadership formerly asked for the financial support of the Uniting Church in Australia in the days following the earthquake and tsunami.

Click here to read and download the full UnitingWorld Press Release

Update from the United Church of Christ in Japan, 23rd March

Click here to see a list of resources for praying for Japan

 

UPDATE: Tuesday 19th April

UnitingWorld has received updates from the UCCJ covering some of the work they have been doing in the Sendai area and plans for the future.

Volunteers from the UCCJ have been mobilised from a volunteer centre in Sendai. Very soon after the March 11th quake and tsunami, the Tohoku Disaster Relief centre was organised. The first task was to clean and prepare this centre as a base for volunteers. In the last two weeks of March, volunteers began arriving and received basic training.

The most significant role for volunteers has been the removing of debris and clearing mud from homes and other community facilities in affected areas. Volunteers get around by small motorbikes or cycles, riding up to 14km to reach damaged areas.

Emphasis has been on helping elderly people, particularly those unwilling to leave their homes and providing, food, water and cleaning help. The other significant area the UCCJ is working is assisting those orphaned by the disaster. In the medium to long-term the aim is to train people to provide grief counseling and appropriate care for these people.

Please see below for more pictures form the UCCJ

 

UPDATE: Monday 27th June

UnitingWorld has now committed to assisting the UCCJ, for the longer term, in providing grief care and financial support for local communities in the Sendai area, as well as continue support of relief activities by the UCCJ staff until March 2012.

It is now confirmed that gifts to this appeal ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

The UCCJ has expressed its gratefulness to the Uniting Church in Australia.

 

Images from the Japan Earthquake & Tsunmai

(Courtesy Reuters, EPA & AP)

(Courtesy of UCCJ)

 

UnitingWorld did not deduct more than 7% of any donation for this emergency TAX DEDUCTIBLE appeal for administration costs. Should the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the immediate and longer term needs of the people in the affected areas, we will direct those funds to people in similar circumstances.