Yesterday, a massive earthquake and tsunami struck the island nation of Japan, decimating villages, agricultural land and infrastructure. The earthquake struck at 2:46 p.m. local time and measured 8.9 on the Richter scale, making it Japan’s most severe earthquake in recorded history. The epicenter of the earthquake was some 250 miles from the capital city of Tokyo.
The daunting 33-foot high tsunami struck the northeastern Japanese coastline in the wake of the earthquake, sweeping homes and vehicles inland. Media sources report that the Red Cross estimates some of the waves to be higher than those observed during the 2004 Boxing-day tsunami in South Asia.
The world is already mobilizing to help victims of Friday's 8.9-magnitude earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami on Japan.
No government, no country, no single institution no matter how prepared can be expected to address the immediacy of widespread disaster alone. The lack of electricity, the disruption of mass transportation and upheaval of roadways, the destruction of homes, the interruption of reliable communication, the damage to hospitals – it all adds up to people left isolated, unprotected, and often hurt, hungry and without clean water. For those first few critical days there should be no hesitation on anyone’s part to offer any and all help needed.
Save the Children's Eiichi Sadamatsu in central Tokyo said, "This is a major natural disaster that has caused large scale damage along Japan's east coast. We are extremely concerned for the welfare of children and their families who have been affected by the disaster. We stand ready to meet the needs of children who are always the most vulnerable in a disaster.”Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world. Recognized for their commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, their work takes us into the heart of communities, where they help children and families help themselves. They work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining their own independence without political agenda or religious orientation.
When disaster strikes around the world, Save the Children is there to save lives with food, medical care and education and remains to help communities rebuild through long-term recovery programs. As quickly and as effectively as Save the Children responds to tsunamis and civil conflict, it works to resolve the ongoing struggles children face every day — poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease — and replaces them with hope for the future.
Save the Children is mobilizing its global resources to respond to the needs of children and families affected by the earthquake and its aftermath, and an international emergency team has been dispatched to assist staff in Japan. The humanitarian agency has been in Japan for 25 years, is in many of the other Pacific nations that could soon be hit by tsunamis, and was a major responder to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 225,000 people.
Save the Children is sending an emergency team to assist its staff in Japan. Donations to the group's Children's Emergency Fund will help preserve the welfare of young ones, who "are always the most vulnerable in a disaster,"
Donation: $5
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