Aiding Kumamoto Earthquake Survivors in Extreme Heat & Tough Conditions
Peace Winds responders are providing medical treatment, drinking water, and other emergency aid to survivors in Kumamoto after Tuesday’s devastating earthquake. At least 34 people are confirmed to have lost their lives in the disaster. Hundreds of others are in need of medical treatment, and 9,000 are sleeping in crowded shelters after evacuating their homes.
Temperatures in Kumamoto are reaching well into the 90s, and thousands of homes remain without electricity. With no air conditioning, the scorching heat can be dangerous–especially for elderly survivors.
While some evacuees’ homes have been damaged, destroyed, or left without water or power, others are choosing not to return due to the fear of aftershocks. They are staying in schools, gymnasiums, and other buildings that are now being used as evacuation centers. Peace Winds staff are interviewing evacuees at some of these shelters to monitor the needs. Space there is limited, and extreme temperatures are making things more difficult. Many are having to sleep in hallways or lobbies. Others are opting to sleep in their cars.
With thousands of homes also lacking water, long lines are forming at water trucks as authorities urge people to stay hydrated. In response, Peace Winds is working with evacuation centers to distribute clean drinking water, as well as hygiene items, bedding, and other emergency supplies.
Additionally, evacuation can be even more difficult for families trying to care for pets. So Peace Winds is conducting needs assessments and providing food and emergency supplies for companion animals.
Peace Winds’ team of doctors, nurses, and other relief experts arrived in Kumamoto late at night the day of the earthquake and quickly headed for the Aeon Mall, which partially collapsed. In the rubble of the mall and other buildings, they worked alongside local police and fire departments to search for survivors and treat them on-site.
Our medical workers have wrapped up search-and-rescue efforts and are now joining local health teams that need extra hands. After finishing work at Aeon Mall, Peace Winds responded to a request from Kumamoto General Hospital. Our team is collaborating with doctors and nurses in the emergency department to treat incoming patients and ensure that hospital operations run smoothly despite the disaster.
As we work with local officials and other rescue workers to determine the scale and needs of survivors, our work will expand. Your donations allow us to provide flexible support for both emergency relief and long-term recovery. And, thanks to matching funds from the US-Japan Foundation and its US-Japan Leadership Program, donations to our GlobalGiving project will be doubled.
Thank you for all of your donations, kind messages, and offers of support. Like you, our hearts are with the people of Kumamoto.