Japan Disaster: Relief & Recovery

Nearly two weeks have passed since a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Japan’s western Ishikawa Prefecture on New Year’s Day. As of January 11, more than 210 people are confirmed dead, and more than 30 are still missing in Ishikawa Prefecture. At least 30,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes and are living in evacuation centers or other places where they can find shelter. 

Members of Peace Winds’ airborne search-and-rescue team, ARROWS, remain in the affected areas, aiding survivors in and around Ishikawa Prefecture’s Suzu City. The team of 44 responders includes doctors, nurses, and other emergency response professionals. The team is using three helicopters and a ship to deliver supplies to those in need. 

When it comes to search-and-rescue, the chance of survival for those trapped beneath the rubble drops dramatically 72 hours after a disaster. However, last weekend on January 6, Peace Winds’ Dr. Mototaka Inaba and other ARROWS team members played a central role alongside other responders in the “miracle” rescue of a 90-year-old woman who had been trapped in a collapsed home for more than 120 hours. After rescuers heard a faint call for help, the woman’s location was pinpointed under the debris, and Dr. Inaba and an ARROWS nurse delivered emergency medical care as she was freed and eventually brought to safety. The woman was transported to a hospital in Suzu City where she is receiving treatment, and her survival has become a symbol of perseverance for a region that needs hope.

As the situation in the Noto Peninsula progresses, Peace Winds and ARROWS have shifted focus to providing medical care and delivering essential supplies. Doctors and nurses are offering health checks at temporary Peace Winds clinics, evacuation centers, and through house calls for elderly and disabled residents. Many evacuees are nervous about having lost their daily medications as they fled their homes, but they have expressed gratitude and reassurance after speaking with ARROWS doctors and nurses and receiving emergency prescriptions. 

Peace Winds is also working to deliver emergency supplies to the Noto Peninsula, including food, water, and hygiene and baby items. Many earthquake-affected areas, especially rural hamlets, are experiencing delays and difficulty receiving aid because roads have been damaged or destroyed. Peace Winds’ helicopters and its ship, the “Toyoshima Maru,” are an invaluable asset for airlifting patients and delivering supplies, equipment, and personnel where large trucks and ambulances cannot reach. Although snow and freezing temperatures in the Noto Peninsula are making efforts challenging, ARROWS teams are working tirelessly to provide relief.  

Additionally, water and gas lines on the northern portion of the peninsula are cut, and sanitation is making the situation more difficult, especially for elderly who lack water for toileting and bathing. In response, Peace Winds is distributing water that has been processed with the water purification machines the team brought to the Noto Peninsula. Peace Winds is also using its ship to transport fuel and oil to Suzu and other communities.

As the need shifts from short-term relief to long-term recovery, Peace Winds is committed to maintaining our presence over the long-term in the Noto Peninsula to help rebuild the disaster-affected communities. It is clear that there will be immense needs in the months and years ahead, including mental health and medical care, economic revitalization, and community-building activities. 

Peace Winds would like to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has donated, sent thoughtful notes, and to those who have created their own fundraisers in support of our GlobalGiving project. It means so much to our teams in Japan and around the world to see our followers coming together in support of a community in need. Peace Winds would not be able to carry out our relief efforts without your kindness and generosity. 

We would also like to thank the United States-Japan Foundation for generously matching all donations up to $25,000 made through their fundraiser. If you have not yet made a donation and would like to double your impact thanks to the USJF-USJLP fundraiser, please click this link or the link at the bottom of this page.

New donations to Peace Winds’ “Japan Disaster: Relief and Recovery” project will go toward relief and recovery activities in Ishikawa Prefecture as well as broader disaster preparedness efforts. We are grateful for your continued support.

Links:

• Contribute to the USJF-USJLP Fundraiser