It has been nearly a year since the devastating 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami destroyed coastal communities in northern Japan claiming more than 15,600 lives with 4,800 still listed as missing by the Office of the Prime Minister.  An International Medical Corps emergency response team was on-the-ground just 48 hours after the disaster, reaching isolated communities north of Sendai that had been entirely cut off from the outside world.

Through generous support from our donors, International Medical Corps was able to act quickly to assess conditions, reach out to vulnerable people seeking shelter in evacuation centers and deliver vital supplies.  We worked in coordination with the Japanese government and local authorities to build partnerships to help fill critical gaps. 

The sheer force of the earthquake and tsunami wreaked havoc on communication lines and hampered initial relief efforts – leaving the lives of thousands in cut-off coastal communities in the balance. International Medical Corps delivered satellite phones, laptops, and internet-connecting data cards to disaster response centers, local NGOs and evacuation centers to allow emergency responders to collect, analyze, share and act on key information like where families in need were stranded with no access to medical care.  In addition, communications equipment allowed family members who had been separated and seeking refuge at evacuation centers to reconnect with lost loved ones.

In the weeks and months following the disaster, thousands of people were living for extended periods of time with limited resources – most had fled with just the clothes on their backs.  We were able to reach more than 20,000 people at evacuation centers with medications, baby food and communications equipment.  International Medical Corps partnered with local organizations including PeaceBoat, Second Harvest, Bond and Justice, Kamaishi Emergency Response Center & Kesennuma Emergency Response Center to deliver food.  In addition, we worked together to distribute hot, cooked meals in evacuation centers and from home-to-home.

As the needs shifted since the onset of the disaster from emergency relief to recovery, we have continued to partner with well-established, local nonprofits to meet ongoing needs following the disaster. 

Mental Health:
International Medical Corps partnered with Tokyo English Life Line (TELL), a telephone counseling service, and  trained 85 TELL staff members and 93 additional frontline workers in Psychological First Aid.  These trainees are now qualified to train future frontline workers in areas including how to help children cope, common reactions to disaster and the appropriate referral pathway.  

As the long-term effects of radiation resulting from the damaged Fukushima nuclear reactors are still an uncertainty –  approximately 60,000 people from the zone surrounding the power plant remain on evacuation status and unable to return to their homes or livelihoods. International Medical Corps has partnered with the local organization, Shapla Neer, to create a community space for evacuees living in temporary housing in Iwaki City, Fukushima. The space will provide evacuees with a central place where they can interact with peers, seek counseling, and receive critical information on assistance programs and other related topics.

Vital Supplies for Evacuees:
International Medical Corps is delivering key household items to evacuee families previously living in Fukushima. Together with local partner, Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR Japan), we are distributing kits containing cleaning, bathroom, and other essential items to 450 households (1,400 individuals) living in subsidized housing outside Fukushima.

Rebuilding Livelihoods:
We are working to provide cash-for-work opportunities in Miyagi Prefecture with local NGO IVY where the unemployed receive money by cleaning mud from damaged houses so people can return home.

International Medical Corps is committed to helping affected communities rebuild long-term.  Over the coming year, we will continue working to build partnerships with local institutions and augment their response through technical or financial support.