Monday, March 14, 2011

Countries Unite To Help Japan

Photo: Fairfax County International Task Force

On March 11 —just a few weeks after the Christchurch earthquake— Japan had experienced one of the worst earthquakes ever, registering at a 9.0 on the Richter Scale. An earthquake with that magnitude happens only once in 5 to 10 years. Shortly afterward, a devastating tsunami followed. This earthquake was so severe that it has been said that Japan shifted 8 feet (2.4 meters). Aftershocks have been as high as 6.0 on the Richter scale. The earth's axis moved 10 inches that day.


Not since World War II has Japan experienced such destruction. More than 2,000,000 households
are without electrical power and water. Over 10,000 have perished. The biggest hurdle this country will face is stopping the nuclear reactors from having a meltdown. Thousands of people as well as their pets have been displaced from their homes.

Photo Source: News Observer

Countries Band Together


Countries from all over the world are uniting to help Japan in the midst of disaster. Many of the countries had landed on March 13 and will be deploying on March 14 at first dawn. These next hours are critical if there are any survivors to be found.

Some of the countries assisting Japan include:
  • The United States has already sent a joint team of 144 rescue workers out there with 12 rescue dogs who will bark alert at the sight of any persons. One rescue team is from Fairfax County, Virginia, and the other is from Los Angeles County, California. Over 85 tons of equipment have been provided for this mission.
  • Great Britain has sent a search and rescue team of 59 rescue workers, 4 doctors, 2 rescue dogs and 11 tons of equipment.
  • Germany has sent 40 rescue workers and 2 rescue dogs through the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief. This agency is composed mainly of volunteers.
  • France has over 100 from their country assisting Japan and an additional 11 from Monaco helping the country through their plight.
  • Italy is standing by on word from the Japanese government on how they can help.
  • China arrived with its rescue workers on Sunday morning.
  • Australiahas deployed 72 rescue workers to Japan. It also has offered its field hospitals and victim identification personnel to Japan. Additionally, dogs will be en route as well.
  • Singaporesent 5 rescue workers and two search and rescue dogs each. Many more rescue workers are on standby.
  • South Korea sent 5 rescue dogs.
  • New Zealand will be contributing 48 rescue workers to the search.
This is just the tip of the iceberg with many more countries currently on standby waiting to offer help to Japan when requested. In the social arena, the Annenberg Foundation will be providing $200,000 USD toward sending rescue dogs to aid in the Japan response efforts because over 100,000 people hit "Like" on The the Dogs Bless USA page on Facebook by Sunday evening. (110,356 and counting) Originally, they were going to offer $100,000 yet because of the actions of those on Facebook, the amount was doubled. Countless donations have rolled in from around the world. If you would like to help, you can find a variety of agencies through this link.

 I am truly saddened and dismayed at what has happened to Japan and send them my sympathy, hopes and prayers during this tragic time.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this historic event?

5 comments:

  1. Are these same countries going to assist Japan with the estimated $100,000,000,000 in damage/rebuilding?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would like to think so since donations are coming in from all over the world.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was born in Japan but adopted through a US navy family and raised in america. My respect and connection to japan my birth place and a family I never knew is still there. I was born Yoshihiko Kawashita. Iam an American but I wonder about my place of birth. And family I may never know.

    ReplyDelete
  4. BOB RODRIGUES D.C.March 16, 2011 at 2:45 PM

    PLEASE SHOW ALL THE COUNTRIES THAT ARE HELPING JAPAN OUT. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS. I DO NOT SEE RUSSIA OR ANY OTHER COUNTRIES ON THE LIST. A CONCERNED AMERICAN.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Yoshiko, I am very sorry that your relatives may have undergone such a horrendous event. One can only hope they were not affected by this. I can only imagine how many Japanese-Americans feel that way about their family and land of origin. I hope that Japan emerges stronger from this and that your family is ok.

    @Bob Rodrigues many countries are on standby waiting on word to help out. I did not see anything on Russia helping at the time that I wrote this article. However, that does not mean that they haven't helped already. I do not go into politics much, but I can't imagine a country that has no sympathy and would not want to help Japan in this tough time.

    ReplyDelete

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