Emergency Response to Noto Peninsula Earthquake

In the areas affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, many foreign residents are isolated and anxious because they cannot receive necessary support. On January 13, AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) delivered food and fuel to Indonesian technical interns engaged in fishing in Noto Town, Ishikawa Prefecture.

In Ishikawa Prefecture, foreigners are engaged in bottom trawling for crabs and shrimps. Most of them are young people from Indonesia. AAR dispatched an emergency support team immediately after the earthquake, and in the process of carrying out support activities, realized that there were many foreign residents who were reluctant to ask for help due to language barriers, did not stay at evacuation centers, and did not receive sufficient support.

When we interviewed 28 Indonesian technical intern trainees (all men in their 20s) living in a dormitory near Ogi fishing port in Noto Town, they told us that they were unable to obtain fresh vegetables, rice and other foodstuffs, toilet paper, soap and shampoo. The AAR team therefore procured supplies on the Toyama Prefecture side and delivered them to Noto Town on the 13th. In addition to foodstuffs and hygiene items, underwear, cooler boxes, kerosene, etc. are being provided in turn.

The leader of the group, speaks, "It is very cold here compared to Indonesia. We use kerosene heaters, so we were relieved to receive kerosene. We can't drive our car, and even when we go shopping by bicycle, the food we can buy is limited, and the portions are totally inadequate." When we delivered long-grain Thai rice in addition to spices and curry, he said, “Here! This!” They were very pleased.

According to local officials who are supporting the trainees, they went to an evacuation center in the town immediately after the earthquake, but were unable to communicate with each other and had difficulty eating the emergency food distributed to them, so they were forced to take refuge at home in a dormitory. After that, they were able to receive some relief supplies at the shelter after explaining their situation. Rainwater was collected and used, and electricity was finally restored on January 8, one week after the earthquake.

The trainees are living in the affected areas far from their home countries, somehow supporting each other with fellow trainees, although they complain that "I can no longer go fishing and I don't know what will happen to me," "It is cold unlike Indonesia and I am suffering very much now," and "My family is telling me to come back home as soon as possible.”

In addition to providing food and supplies at evacuation centers, AAR is focusing on supporting disabled people and foreign residents who are in more difficult situations.

We would like to ask for your cooperation in AAR’s emergency support for the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Links:

• AAR English website

Many people who lost their homes in the Noto Peninsula earthquake have been living in shelters for more than 10 days without enough food, clothing, daily necessities, etc. AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) Emergency Support Team has been delivering relief supplies to evacuation centers in Ishikawa Prefecture, which was severely damaged.

On January 11, AAR provided clothing such as underwear and socks as well as hygiene items to those staying in evacuation centers. 75-year-old woman who received waterless shampoo said, “We are so grateful because we haven’t washed our hair since the New Year’s Day.” At evacuation centers, it is difficult for evacuees to wash their clothes, and many of them ask for new underwear and other changes of clothes. This woman said, “My son brought me a change of clothes from Kanazawa today, and I finally put on some clean clothes, but I had not been able to change for 10 days since the evacuation. There are elderly people who have no choice but to wear paper pants.”

At the evacuation center, there are many elderly people. The woman looked around at the faces of people her own age and said, “The community here is strong, so everyone is doing their best even under these circumstances. They bring food from their respective homes and share the soup kitchen. But the food and ingredients we prepared for New Year’s holidays are almost finished, so I guess we will be eating only retort-pouch foods from now on.” Her face is clouded with anxiety about the uncertain future.

A man in his 60s who volunteered to help AAR serve food at an elementary school evacuation center said, “I was living on a pension after retiring from public service, and the earthquake completely destroyed the house where I lived with my elderly mother and wife.” He had his own small boat and enjoyed fishing as a hobby, but the fishing port he frequented was devastated by the tsunami, which damaged the concrete quay wall. When asked about his current state of mind, he replied, “I don’t feel like thinking anything about future. I’m not looking backward, but I’m not looking forward either. I’m going to live looking side for now. Ha ha ha!” He answered with a laugh.

In addition to providing food at evacuation centers, AAR is working with many companies and organizations to deliver emergency portable toilets, small tents, hygiene items, clothing, etc., but the support is still insufficient.

We would like to ask for your cooperation in AAR’s emergency support for the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

*We are not accepting donations from individuals due to delivery arrangements to the area.

Links:

• AAR English website