The 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck whole north east region of Japan mainly around the seas off Sanriku coast of the Tohoku region at 14:46 JST(UTC+09:00) on Friday, March 11, 2011. This was the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan. After the quake, the tsunami attacked in less than one hour without giving the residents a little more time for evacuating. They had experienced many earthquake and tsunami in the past, but never imagined the high level of wave. It caused serious damage. CARE had worked all over the world as an NGO that assists in the disaster and fights against poverty in developing countries or conflict areas since 1945. The disasters in advanced nations were not intended for our support program before. This is because they had sufficient ability of the government and the aid agency, etc to respond the disaster. However, Japan suffered from triple handicaps of an earthquake, tsunami, and atomic power. CARE determined for the first time to launch emergency assistance in advanced nation.
In addition to fulfill urgent needs of the affected people, we set as our goal to rebuild the life of the affected people life and the economy and the solidarity in the affected area, through medium to long-term recovery support.
Food Security: Distribution of hot meals in the evacuation center, provision of the required equipment for the restaurant resumption in the disaster affected area and provision foods and cookware for the affected people to stay at their home, etc.
Community Relief and Development: Distribution of necessaries of life, etc. for the people in the evacuation center, makeshift houses, and their houses. Distribution of the teaching materials and necessary goods to schools and welfare facilities, etc.
Psychosocial Support: Setting of an interchange forum for elderly people to relief from their mental suffering for the disaster. Resumption of the festival and the event in the area, etc.
Click here for Tohoku Earthquake response activity videoes>>
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