We have launched a £1 million appeal to help families affected by the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami. We have a team in Japan heading to Sendai – the city closest to the epicenter – and are developing a response plan to the disaster.
Sunday 13 March 2011
Find out the latest information about our Japan Emergency Appeal and response
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake - confirmed as the largest to hit Japan since records began and the fifth strongest to occur anywhere in the world in the past 100 years - hit the north-east of the country.
It was followed by a series of substantial aftershocks, which still continue to strike. A tsunami, which swept away thousands of vehicles, boats and buildings, was triggered by the earthquake.
Recent reports show several villages now under water with at least one city completely destroyed. Due to the fears of an explosion near the nuclear plant, 215,000 people are reported to have been evacuated and to have spent the night without electricity and water. The total number of casualties has not yet been determined and many areas of destruction have still not been reached due to devastated infrastructure in the aftermath of the disaster.
We have staff on the ground in Japan, in Tokyo and heading to Sendai, the closest city to the earthquake epicentre. Children will need stability and protection in order to ward off on-going problems related to the disaster.
Our response will focus on helping provide children with psychosocial care, such as setting up areas where children can play safely, to help return some sense of normality to their lives as soon as possible. The Japanese government has a very sophisticated response system in place, and we will work closely with the Japanese government and other agencies to ensure that our efforts are co-ordinated, and that children are prioritized. Stephen McDonald, Save the Children's team leader in Japan currently working up our response plan said, "Our first priority in Japan is to ensure that the most vulnerable children receive protection and care. It's very important for the affected children to return to normal life as soon as possible." "We stand ready to meet the needs of children who are always the most vulnerable in a disaster", says Save the Children's Eiichi Sadamatsu, based in Toyko.
Eiichi Sadamatsu reports from Japan How we will help
“It’s our experience that news and reports of damage increase over time after an earthquake,” said Michelle Brown, our emergency advisor. “So what we’re seeing at the moment is the tip of the iceberg. In the immediate future we have concerns about [children’s] access to water, safe places to play and access to their family.”
Michelle Brown, our emergency advisor