YALE/TULANE ESF-8 PLANNING AND RESPONSE PROGRAM SPECIAL REPORT
MAP
(JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI)
BACKGROUND
SITUATION
TSUNAMI
RADITION IN FOODSTUFF
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN
A 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit
Japan, unleashing a tsunami.
US RESPONSE
UN RESPONSE
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
HEALTH
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http://www.kantei.go.jp
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International Atomic Energy Agency
Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
WHO
US GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
The Department of State
U.S Embassy in Japan
State Dept.'s DipNote on Twitter
State Dept. Background Note
U.S. Agency for International Development
OFDA
Library of Congress Country Study - Japan
CIA World Fact Book
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CDC- Tsunami
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FEMA Blog
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Center of Excellence -
Japanese search & rescue teams continue to
search for missing people. Photograph: IFRC
AS OF 0800 HRS EDT
24 MARCH 2011
LIBRARY
National Medical Library – Japan Earthquake
Disaster Information Management Research Center
Radiation Emergency Medical Management
JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI
BACKGROUND
EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI
•
On 11 Mar 2011 05:46 UTC, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck 400km
north-east of Tokyo off the coast of Japan triggering a tsunami that
flattened parts of the northeast coastline. The waves were as high as 15
meters in the worst affected areas, destroyed everything in their path, and
went six kilometers inland.
•
Because the earthquake’s hypocenter was 24.4 kilometers deep, it is
considered a shallow earthquake, the most dangerous type of quake. The
9.0 magnitude places the earthquake as the fourth largest in the world
since 1900 and the largest in Japan since modern instrumental recordings
began 130 years ago.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
• As of March 23 , the Japan National Police have listed a new death toll of
9,408 with an additional 14,716 missing. This is a total of over 24,000
people killed or missing, the largest ever from an earthquake by nearly 4
times for a highly developed nation (as defined by the UNDP).
• Thousands of households have been without electricity since 11 March.
Over 2 million people have been without running water.
• As of 21 March, at least 14,637 buildings have been reported as
completely destroyed.
CATDAT AND EARTHQUAKE-REPORT.COM
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 9: 20 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
NOAA Center for Tsunami Rsch
USAID Fact Sheet #10: 20 March 2011
JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI
BACKGROUND
NUCLEAR EMERGENCY
• Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant - Located on the Eastern coast
of Japan, the six nuclear power reactors at Daiichi are boiling water
reactors (BWRs). The earthquake on 11 March severed off-site power to
the plant and triggered the automatic shutdown of the three operating
reactors - Units 1, 2, and 3. The control rods were successfully inserted into
the reactor cores, ending the fission chain reaction. The remaining reactors
- Units 4, 5, and 6 -- had previously been shut down for routine
maintenance purposes. Backup diesel generators, designed to start up
after losing off-site power, began providing electricity to pumps circulating
coolant to the six reactors.
• Soon after the earthquake, a large tsunami washed over the reactor site,
knocking out the backup generators. While some batteries remained
operable, the entire site lost the ability to maintain proper reactor cooling
and water circulation functions.
• Over the following days there was evidence of partial nuclear meltdowns in
reactors 1, 2, and 3; hydrogen explosions destroyed the upper cladding of
the buildings housing reactors 1, 3, and 4; an explosion damaged reactor
2's containment; and multiple fires broke out at reactor 4. Fears of radiation
leaks led to a 20 km (12-mile) radius evacuation around the plant.
• Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has raised the alert level at
the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant from four to five on a sevenpoint international scale for atomic accidents.
• While electricity from an outside source has not flowed into the reactors at
the Fukushima Daiichi plant at this time, all six reactors now have electric
connections laid out.
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 9: 20 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
NOAA Center for Tsunami Rsch
USAID Fact Sheet #10: 20 March 2011
SITUATION
EMERGENCY RESPONSE,
• On March 23, 2011 at 07:12:29 AM at epicenter, 2 strong aftershocks occurred,
20 minutes apart, and close to Iwaki. The hypocenter was again very shallow 21
km (13 miles) and located WNW (283°) from Iwaki, Honshu, Japan and 72 km
(45 miles) SSE (165°) from Fukushima, Honshu, Japan.
• Freezing temperatures, snow, and rain are expected to continue into early the
week of 27 March.
• With nearly all people in the earthquake and tsunami affected areas now
accessible, the focus of the response is shifting from search and rescue
operations to caring for those who have been evacuated.
• Levels of radioactive substances have also been found in seawater near
the plant but not at levels that represent a threat to human health. Tokyo
Electric Power Company will continue to measure the radiation level of sea
water in order to evaluate the impact on the regions fishing industry.
Fishing harbors in Fukushima have been closed since the earthquake, so
no seafood has been shipped.
FOOD - The Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters reports that
approximately 7.2 million meals have been delivered to evacuation centers
and hospitals in the affected areas to date. An estimated 850,000 meals were
delivered on the 22 March.
WATER
• There are about 120,000 national emergency service personnel working in the
worst affected areas repairing vital infrastructure and moving relief items such as
food, water and blankets to those living in the evacuation centers. Still the
evacuation centers urgently require food, water and blankets. Concerns persist for
the elderly and sick in the evacuation centers. They are vulnerable to the freezing
weather, shortage of medicines, and limited water, sanitation and hygiene
facilities.
•
RADIATION CONATMINATION
• The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare MHLW is coordinating 440 water
companies for emergency water supply. It has arranged to send 349 water
supply vehicles to the affected areas in Miyagi (200 vehicles), Fukushima
(37 vehicles), and Iwate (88 vehicles).
• Radioactive materials exceeding Japan’s legal limits have now been found in 11
types of vegetables grown in Fukushima Prefecture as well as the water there.
The Government of Japan (GoJ) has ordered residents not to consume the
vegetables, or drink tap water or milk there. The neighboring prefecture of Ibaraki
has also had radiation detected in its vegetables and milk. In Tokyo, authorities
have detected radioactive iodine in tap water that exceeds the level considered
safe for infants. The GoJ has advised that it is unfit for babies to drink.
OCHA SitRep No. 12: 23 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA SITREP No.10:21 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 10: 19 March 2011
USAID Fact Sheet #10: 20 March 2011
At least 875,000 households (2 million people) remain without water
across 11 Prefectures. In the worst affected areas it could take a month
before water is restored.
• The Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters reports that in total, an
estimated 3.4 million bottles of water have been delivered to evacuation
centers in the affected areas. Another 1.3 million is in transit.
ELECTRICITY- A total of 216,977 households (533,763 people) remain
without electricity.
SITUATION
LOGISTICS
TRANSPORTATION
• The bad weather is hindering emergency response efforts; helicopters
that used to deliver relief supplies have been grounded, and authorities
must rely on road transport.
• The GoJ has enacted a plan to redirect 38,000 kiloliters per day of fuel
from the oil refinery factories in Hokkaido and western Japan by
surface transportation. This was the average daily demand of fuel in
the Tohoku area before the disaster, and has been secured. The
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is planning to transfer
300 tanker vehicles operating in western Japan to the Tohoku area,
and 100 out of 500 fuel stations will supply emergency vehicles
carrying relief items with fuel. It has also requested the oil refinery
industry increase their production from the current level of 80%
capacity to 95% capacity.
• The GoJ says 4,300 kiloliters of fuel has been delivered to affected
prefectures to date. 600 kiloliters/day has been delivered for the past 2
days. The METI reported that its emergency oil supply plan for the
Tokyo Metropolitan and the Tohoku areas is likely to reach initial
targets. The GoJ has secured 280 tanker vehicles thus far to transport
fuel to the affected areas.
• As of March 21, capacity had recovered to around 3.9 million barrels
per day (mbpd) more than the usual daily demand of 3.6 mbpd.
(Yomiuri, March 23) The first oil tanker to arrive since the disaster
docked near a storage facility in Shiogama, Miyagi, which is a key oil
shipping base. The tanker arrived with 2,010 kiloliters of gas, heating
oil and light oil.
• The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
announced that most (94%) of the main roads reaching to the affected
Pacific coastal areas have been repaired. Two main highways are still
reserved for emergency vehicles only.
• The Tohoku bullet train has also resumed services between Morioka,
Iwate and Shin-Aomori today. However, it will be some time before the
train can carry passengers along its full 670 km stretch from Tokyo to
Aomori.
• Six sea ports which were damaged by the earthquake and tsunami have
resumed operations.
• 13 airports in the affected areas are open for scheduled and chartered
flights, and Sendai Airport which was heavily affected by the tsunami is
open for humanitarian flights.
• According to NHK, the Tohoku bullet train is expected to resume full
service as early as late April, East Japan Railway said, while briefing the
transportation ministry on Tuesday. The route runs through affected
regions and service has only been resumed in sections near the two
terminals, but the train cannot run in the middle section. The company
says the work will take more than a month but the line sustained relatively
minor damage.
• The petroleum industry believes the fuel shortages will be nearly
resolved this week in the Kanto region and by the end of the month in
the Tohoku region, the Daily Yomiuri Online reported. The Petroleum
Association of Japan says the amount of crude oil refined domestically
declined to around 2.7 million barrels a day after the quake struck.
OCHA SitRep No. 12: 23 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA SITREP No.10:21 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 10: 19 March 2011
USAID Fact Sheet #10: 20 March 2011
SITUATION
(SHELTER)
SHELTER
•
The GoJ’s Special Task Force for Livelihood Support of the Affected Populations,
announced on 18 March, is now operational. The Task Force is responsible for
ensuring that aid reaches the evacuation centers. It will also coordinate with the
Disaster Volunteer Coordination Office, established on 16 March. A separate Task
Force has been set up for nuclear power plant response.
•
More evacuees are relocating to unaffected prefectures. To date, nearly 30,000
evacuees, about 13 percent, have relocated to 437 municipalities in 43 prefectures.
The number of people in evacuation centers in and outside the affected areas has
dropped to 261,000. This includes the 83,778 people evacuated from the 20
kilometer zone around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. This is down from initial
reports of 210,000. The Fukushima Prefecture reports that 23,000 of its evacuees
are now taking refuge in non-effected prefectures. It’s estimated that there are
177,222 earthquake and disaster affected people living in the evacuation centers.
It’s unknown how many people are in need of assistance that are not living in the
evacuation centers.
•
The number of evacuation centers operating has decreased by 20%. Now that
roads are repaired and debris is cleared evacuees are moving into larger evacuation
centers. In the week following the disaster there were about 2,212 mostly smaller
evacuation centers. Many of them were in isolated, difficult to reach places and
many did not receive timely assistance. The evacuees are now congregating in
larger centers that are also main distribution points for relief supplies.
•
The evacuees have established managing committees in the evacuation centers.
The committees are helping to organize distribution of food and relief items,
cleaning, water supply, and allocation of individual living spaces. A municipal official
acts as the liaison between the committees and the municipality. This practice of
self-management will continue when the evacuees are relocated to planned
housing.
•
The authorities in Iwate Prefecture say they are planning a mass relocation of its
displaced population. Currently, there are about 44,000 people in 370 evacuation
centers. Due to logistical difficulties, the authorities say it is easier to relocate the
geographically-scattered evacuees to a smaller number of temporary shelters in the
prefecture where more effective assistance is possible. The construction of
temporary housing has started in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures. Families with
elderly, handicapped, or pregnant members, or women with babies will be
prioritized. Until the buildings are constructed the GoJ is recommending the
displaced relocate to shelters in non-affected prefectures.
•
A GoJ survey of all of Japan has found 19,600 vacant public houses that can be
used to accommodate displaced people. This will be combined with governmentand volunteer-run evacuation shelters such as sports stadiums. The GoJ wants to
keep people from the same evacuation centers together so bonds formed since the
earthquake can be maintained.
•
The GoJ has requested that the housing industry construct 33,175 temporary
shelters for the displaced. While the construction of temporary accommodation has
started in some Prefectures, many areas are finding it very difficult to find suitable
pieces of land to build upon as much of the coastal area in Tohoku is mountainous.
•
There is concern about the situation of affected populations outside the evacuation
centers. Local media says people who are living in their homes are not receiving
relief items as distribution of relief items has been prioritized for the evacuation
centers. People who are still able to live in their homes also require assistance as
they have no access to food, water and basic supplies.
AS OF 22 MARCH
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
CATDAT AND EARTHQUAKE-REPORT.COM
SITUATION
(Evacuation Centers)
SITUATION
(Health)
• The focus of healthcare priorities are for the vulnerable and the elderly in
evacuation centers, those who have stayed in their homes in the affected
areas, and mental health care for those affected by the disaster.
• The GoJ has over 105 health worker teams working in Iwate, Miyagi and
Fukushima. The National Hospital Organization has 20 medical teams in Iwate
(6 teams), Miyagi (6 teams) and Fukushima (8 teams). The Japan Medical
Association has dispatched 43 teams and the All Japan Hospital Association
and the Japan Association of Medical Care Corporations have jointly sent 11
teams to the affected areas. Another 389 child welfare specialists and nearly
6,000 social workers are waiting for formal requests from the affected
municipalities.
CURRENT ASSESSMENT
NOTE: Assessment estimates are for the impacted areas. The overall infrastructure outside of the
affected areas remains strong.
G
R
A
Not a Major Concern
Currently
B
Generally
Ineffective
Working But
Inadequate
Non-Functional
Or Destroyed
Unknown
MEDICAL OPERATIONS
• An Internet-based ad-hoc surveillance system was set up by the Infectious
Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
• The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has also assessed the
capacity of social welfare facilities in the non-affected Prefectures to receive
patients. It found there is space available for 28,929 in elderly facilities, 5,345 in
handicapped facilities, 6,745 in child welfare facilities, and 685 in other
protection facilities.
JAPAN
A
A
G
R
A
R
R
R
R
R
PUBLIC
HEALTH
PUBLIC
HEALTH
• The MHLW has also prepared a mental care guidebook that is being distributed
to affected municipalities and a website has been set up to provide information
for counselors and teachers http://www.ncnp.go.jp/mental_info/index.htmll.
• The Japanese Red Cross has 48 active teams on the ground and is reporting
an increase in influenza and diarrheal diseases among the displaced
communities and cases of hypothermia and pneumonia among people who
have survived long periods in water.
JAPAN
NOTE:
• Improvements in living conditions of displaced persons will be necessary to
prevent further spread of infectious disease.
• The elderly and medically fragile are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia
and other medical issues present.
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
R
R
A
B
B
A
A
OVERALL PH/MEDICAL ASSESSMENT
B
G
R
SITUATION
(EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI)
• A 9.0 magnitude earthquake (upgraded from 8.8 magnitude, by Japan Meteorological
Agency on 13 March) occurred 11 Mar 2011 in Japan at 05.46.23 UTC, hitting the
northeast coast of Honshu, Japan. The hardest hit area is the east coast of Tohoku
Prefecture.
• The initial tsunami that swept over Japan’s northeastern coast was reportedly as high as
33 feet at the port of Sendai. The prefecture capital is located some 180 miles (300 km)
from Tokyo. The tsunami waves reportedly reached as far as six miles (10 km) inland in
Miyagi. The Sendai domestic airport was submerged. Strong tsunami waves also hit
Fukushima prefecture, causing widespread damage to coastal communities. (The
National Meteorological Agency has now reported that the highest tsunami wave on the
11 March was 15 meters (50 feet) high in Mekawa, Miyagi – twice as high as the 7.3
meter waves earlier reported)
• The worst affected areas are the prefectures along the north-eastern coast, including
Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibraki and Chiba. The pre-crisis population of these five
prefectures was 14.8 million people, of whom 1.6 million lived within five km of the coast.
• More rain continues to disrupt Japan’s emergency relief operations as well as
compounding the misery of the hundreds of thousands of people who survived the 11
March earthquake and tsunami in the northeast of the country.
• The sewage system is yet to be repaired in many areas.
• Freezing temperatures through 25 March. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned
of possible landslides and has issued a flood alert.
• The earthquake largely sank the ground level of the Pacific coast of Tohoku region and
northern part of Kanto region, which leads to greater risks of flooding in these regions.
Increased attention to tidal levels as well as preparation for possible inundation and
flooding in these regions, are essential, especially during the spring tide, when tides are
higher than usual.
• 2 very dangerous strong aftershocks (M5.7) 20 minutes separated and close to Iwaki
The aftershock is especially dangerous because the hypocenter seems to be very shallow
(Depth 1.0 km) located 21 km (13 miles) WNW (283°) from Iwaki, Honshu, Japan and 72
km (45 miles) SSE (165°) from Fukushima, Honshu, Japan
NOTES:
• The tsunami following the earthquake was the
primary cause of major damage to the region.
• Cold weather is exacerbating the emergency due
to shortages of blankets and fuel, and lack of
electricity.
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 9: 20 March 2011
COE-DMHA Update: 15 March 2011
COE-DMHA Update 17 March 2001
Japan Meteorological Agency: 17 March 2011
Full Map Available at UNITAR
SITUATION
(Radionuclides in Food and Water)
Radioactive materials exceeding legal limits in Japan have now been found in 11 types of vegetables grown in Fukushima Prefecture.
The GoJ has ordered residents not to consume the vegetables, or drink tap water or milk. The neighboring prefecture of Ibaraki has
also had radiation detected in its vegetables and milk. In Tokyo, authorities have detected radioactive iodine in tap water that exceeds
the level considered safe for infants.
• There are large variations of Iodine‐131 and Cs‐137 levels in
food. Levels of I‐131 in leafy vegetables, sampled near cities
South of Fukushima mostly exceed the level of 2000
Becquerel per kg that was set by Japanese authorities for
restriction of food consumption. In Fukushima prefecture six
raw milk samples, and in Ibaraki prefecture three spinach
samples, showed concentrations of I-131 in excess of limits. 1
of 37 samples of milk exceeded the Cs-137 limit for
consumption.
• The Prime Minister of Japan, has issued instructions to food
business operators to temporarily cease distribution, and to
the public to cease consumption of certain leafy vegetables
(e.g., spinach, komatsuna, cabbages) and any flower head
brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower) produced in Fukushima
Prefecture.
• The Prime Minister has also temporarily banned distribution of
fresh raw milk and parsley from Ibaraki Prefecture.
• The MHLW has encouraged Ibaraki and Chiba Prefectures to
monitor seafood products.
NOTES: Though radioactive iodine has a short half-life of
about 8 days and decays naturally within a matter of
weeks, there is a risk to human health if I-131 is ingested
in food. Monitoring of levels in food and water is essential
to ensuring the safety of the population.
IAEA Update: 22 March 2011
IAEA Update: 23 March 2011
FDA Radiation Safety: 21 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No12: 23 March
SITUATION
(Radionuclides in Food and Water)
• The UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned members of the general
public against self-medicating with potassium iodide (KI) or with products
containing iodide as a precaution against nuclear radiation. WHO advised
that KI should only be taken when there is a clear public health
recommendation to do so, as indiscriminate use can cause adverse sideeffects.
• On 21 March, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is
no longer accepting shipments of products from the affected areas of Japan.
DRINKING WATER
• The Tokyo Metropolitan Water Office stated that levels of I-131 in tap water at
a purification plant were found to be above the limits for drinking water for
infants but below the level for adults. The MHLW has advised that tap water
in Tokyo should not used as drinking water for infants.
SEA WATER
• On 22 March (16:45UTC), Japanese authorities reported that the Tokyo
Electric Power Company has detected I-131, Cs-134, and Cs-137 in
seawater at one location near the Southern discharge canal at the Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant.
• On 23 March the MHLW advised Ibaraki and Chiba Prefectures to monitor
seafood products.
• The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
measured radioactivity around the plant from 22-23 March. Seawater was
collected from eight locations. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency is expected
to release the results 24 March. The analysis will include radionuclide
concentrations in both air and seawater.
Tokyo officials have started giving out 240,000 half-liter bottles of
water to 80,000 families with infants in the city, 137 miles south of
the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, after panic buying in
the capital cleared supermarket shelves
CHART: levels of radiation in drinking water by prefecture
NOTE: The presence of elevated radiation levels in food and water may impede nutrition
and hydration in the impacted areas, potentially exacerbating the health issues already
emerging in some locations (e.g. influenza, gastroenteritis, hypothermia).
IAEA Update: 23 March 2011
IAEA Update: 22 March 2011
FDA Radiation Safety: 21 March 2011
SITUATION
(NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS)
NOTE: Radiation levels are at levels high enough to impact human health at the Fukushima power plant.
FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT: According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), progress has been made at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, however,
the situation remains very serious.
• On 23 March, workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were again temporarily evacuated from the plant after black smoke was seen rising from reactor No 3. Radiation
levels were reported to be unusually high before the smoke was spotted and later dropped, but remain higher than in recent days. There is also concern about the rising
temperature at reactor No 1. Power cables have been connected to all six reactors, and lighting has been restored at reactor No 3.
•
At Units 1, 2, 3, and 4, workers have advanced the restoration of off-site electricity, and the lights are working in Unit 3's main control room. Crews continued to use a concrete
pump truck to deliver high volumes of water into the Unit 4 spent fuel pool, where there are concerns of inadequate water coverage over the fuel assemblies.
•
At Units 5 and 6, workers have successfully restored off-site power to the reactor, which had previously reached a safe, cold shutdown status.
SPENT FUEL POOLS
Spent fuel removed from a nuclear reactor is highly radioactive and generates intense heat. This
irradiated fuel needs to be actively cooled for one to three years in pools that cool the fuel, shield the
radioactivity, and keep the fuel in the proper position to avoid fission reactions. If the cooling is lost, the
water can boil and fuel rods can be exposed to the air, possibly leading to severe damage and a large
release of radiation.
The concern about the spent fuel pools at Fukushima Daiichi is that the capability to cool the pools has
been compromised. See diagram to the left for location of the pool in each reactor building. Elevated
radiation measurements at the site may be partially of the result of uncovered or overheated spent
fuel. See the next slide for updates on each Unit's spent fuel pool.
NOTES:
•
On 21 March, IAEA Board of Governors convened to discuss environmental monitoring
readings, noting high readings 16 km from the Fukushima plant.
•
IAEA has been given online data access to CTBTO readings, allowing for increased
inter-agency collaboration.
Image source: IAEA
IAEA Board of Governors Report 22 March 2011
IAEA Fukushima Nuclear Accident Update Log 22 March 2011
IAEA Update: 23 March 2011
SITUATION
(NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS)
UNIT
UNIT 1
UNIT 2
UNIT 3
SITUATION
Coolant within Unit 1 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, and Japanese authorities believe the core has been damaged. High pressure within the
reactor's containment led operators to vent gas from the containment. Later, an explosion destroyed the outer shell of the reactor building above the
containment on 12 March. IAEA officials report that they have not received validated information for some time related to the containment integrity of unit 1,
and are concerned that they do not know its exact status. Efforts to pump seawater into the reactor core continue. No precise information has been available
on the status of the spent fuel pool. On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this Unit.
Coolant within Unit 2 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, and Japanese authorities believe the core has been damaged. Following an explosion
on 15 March, Japanese officials expressed concerns that the reactor's containment may not be fully intact. Power was restored to the building on 19 March.
White smoke was seen emanating from the building on 21 March at 09:22 UTC, but has since died down. Efforts to pump seawater into the reactor core
continue. On 22 March, the spent fuel pool was temperature was 50 degrees C. On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this Unit.
Coolant within Unit 3 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, and Japanese authorities believe the core has been damaged. High pressure within the
reactor's containment led operators to vent gas from the containment. Later, an explosion destroyed the outer shell of the reactor building above the
containment on 14 March. Following the explosion, Japanese officials expressed concerns that the reactor's containment may not be fully intact. White smoke
was seen emerging from the building on 21 March, leading to the temporary evacuation of plant personnel. The smoke reportedly died down two hours later.
Of additional concern at Unit 3 is the inadequate cooling water level in the spent fuel pool. Japanese authorities have addressed the problem by dropping water
from helicopters into the building and spraying water from trucks. As of 22 March, workers had sprayed at least 3,742 tons of water into the building; however,
data on the temperature of the spent fuel pool is unavailable. Authorities continue to try to restore electricity to unit 3. On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES
rating of 5 to this Unit. On 23 March, workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have again been temporarily evacuated from the plant after black smoke
was seen rising from reactor No 3.
UNIT 4
All fuel from Unit 4 had been removed from the reactor core for routine maintenance before the earthquake and placed into the spent fuel pool. The building's
outer shell was damaged on 14 March, and there have been two reported fires - possibly including one in the area of the spent fuel pool on 15 March - that were
extinguished spontaneously. Authorities remain concerned about the condition of the spent fuel pool, and emergency workers began spraying water into the
building on 20 March. As of 22 March, at least 255 tons of water have been sprayed into the building, and electricity was restored to the unit’s power center.
Data on the temperature of the spent fuel pool is unavailable. On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 3 to this site.
UNITS 5 & 6
Shut down for routine maintenance before the earthquake, both reactors achieved cold shutdown on 20 March. The reactors are now in a safe mode, with
cooling systems stable and under control, and with low temperature and pressure within the reactor. Instrumentation from both spent fuel pools had shown
gradually increasing temperatures over the past few days. On 22 March, the temperatures of the spent fuel pools in units 5 and 6 were 33.5 and 27.5 degrees
C, respectively. Unit 5 was connected to an external power supply. Unit 6 continues to receive power from an emergency diesel generator. Workers have
opened holes in the roofs of both buildings to prevent the possible accumulation of hydrogen, which is suspected of causing explosions at other units.
COMMON
SPENT FUEL
POOLS
In addition to pools in each of the plant's reactor buildings, authorities are also concerned about rising temperatures in the Common Use Spent Fuel Pool, where
spent fuel is stored after cooling for at least 18 months in the reactor buildings. On 21 March, emergency workers sprayed water into the pool for five hours.
On 22 March, the pool’s temperature was around 61 degrees C.
NISA UPDATE SEISMIC DAMAGE INFORMATION 22 MARCH 2011
IAEA Update (18:00 UTC) 22 March 2011
IAEA Update: 23 March 2011
IAWA Update ((2100 UTC) 20 March 2011
SEVERE
CONDITIO
N
CONCERN
NO
IMMEDIAT
E
CONCERN
GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN RESPONSE
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
• As of 21 March, 1,703 roads were reported damaged from 11
prefectures (Aomori, Miyagi, Yamagata, Akita, Tokyo, Ibaragi, Tochigi,
Saitama, Gunma, Chiba and Iwate). Assessments from Fukushima are
not yet completed. 127,000 buildings reported damaged or destroyed.
• There were reports of 51 damaged bridges in four prefectures.
ELECTRICITY & GAS
• Gradual electricity improvement:
• Power has been restored to all but 216,977 households.
• 223,770 households remain without power, mostly in the Tohoku
region.
• Tokyo Electric Company will restart rolling power outages on 22
March.
• Slow gas improvement:
• 439 728 households remain without gas supply.
EDUCATION
• Nearly 3,300 schools have been closed in 16 prefectures because they
were damaged, are within the nuclear exclusion zone, or are now being
used as evacuation centers. There are about 554 schools currently
being used as evacuation centers.
• To provide education to affected school children, the Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is allowing school
children to transfer without the necessary documents.
NOTES:
The Ministry of Defense has established a civil assistance cell. Japan
Self Defence Force will liaise with the Prefectual and Municipal
governments regarding the types and quantity of relief items
needed.
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 10: 21 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
HEALTH & MEDICAL CARE
• Through coordination by the MHLW, various medical institutions have
dispatched or are in the process of dispatching medical assistance teams to
the affected areas:
Medical Team
National Hospital Organization
National Center for Global Health and
Medicine
National Center for Child Health and
Development & Japan Society of
Emergency Pediatrics
Japan Labour Health and Welfare
Organization
Japan Pharmaceutical Association and
Japan Society of Hospital Pharmacists
Health Worker Team
Psychological Care Teams
Iwate
6 teams
Fukushima
8 teams (including 4
teams specialized in
radiation medicine)
1 team
1 team
(assessment)
1 team
3 persons
51 persons
10 persons
22 teams
54 teams
5 teams
1 team
Japan Care Manager Association
Japan Medical Association
All Japan Hospital Association and the
Japan Association of Medical Care
Corporations
TOTAL
Miyagi
6 teams
8 persons
43 teams
11 teams
More than 28
teams & 3
persons
More than 68
teams & 59
persons
More than 9 teams &
10 persons
• Another 389 child welfare specialists and nearly 6,000 social workers are
waiting for a formal request from the affected municipalities.
• The MHLW has assessed the capacity of social welfare facilities in the
nonaffected Prefectures to receive patients. It found there is space available
for 28,929 in elderly facilities, 5,345 in handicapped facilities, 6,745 in child
welfare facilities, and 685 in other protection facilities.
• The GoJ is following the National Guideline for Monitoring Radionuclides in
the Environment, in its surveillance of radioactivity.
GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN RESPONSE
DEAD & MISSING
• As of 22 March the Government of Japan reported 9,079 confirmed deaths,
2,628 injured, and 12,782 reported missing. Total dead and missing is 21,861.
Worst Affected Prefectures:
Prefecture
Deaths
Missing
Evacuees
Miyagi
5,507
3,487
113,029
Iwate
2,773
5,018
45,687
Fukushima
743
4,272
131,665
• The MHLW is supporting local government for management of dead bodies.
EVACUATION, SHELTER & HOUSING
• As of 22 March, 318,213 people are living in 2,060 evacuation centres across
16 Prefectures. This is a decrease of about 30,000 over the last day, as the
displaced seek shelter with host families or return home as power is restored.
• Number of evacuation centers is decreasing as smaller, isolated centres
consolidate and evacuees congregate in large shelters, which are the main
distribution points for relief.
• GoJ plans to build 33,175 temporary shelters over next two months. Some
prefectures are finding it is difficult to find suitable pieces of land to build upon.
• Eight prefectural governments have announced that they are ready to host a
total of 152,000 evacuees (48% of evacuation centre’s populations) in hotels
and public facilities such as schools and community centres.
• 700 patients from 6 hospitals and 980 people from nursing homes have been
evacuated from the 20-30 km radius around Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
• Evacuees have established managing committees in the centres to establish
order. A municipal official acts as the liaison between the committees and the
municipality. This self-management will continue when the evacuees are
relocated to planned housing.
NOTES:
There is now concern about the situation of affected populations outside
evacuation centres. People who are living in their homes may not be
receiving relief items as distribution of relief items has been prioritized
for the evacuation centres. People who are still able to live in their
homes still require assistance as they have no access to food, water and
basic supplies.
COMMUNICATIONS
• 90% of disrupted telecommunications restored.
• 226,000 damaged landlines, down from 1.88 million.
• 2,100 damaged mobile towers, down from 13,000.
• 12 new community radio stations opened, immediate
Government authorization granted.
• Disaster messaging services and free calling services are in
operation through some providers.
HUMANITARIAN AID & RELIEF
• As of 22 March, Japan has received offers of assistance from 128
countries/areas and regions and 33 international organizations.
• On 21 March 10,000 sets of USAID/OFDA-funded personal protective
equipment (PPE) arrived in Tokyo after Government of Japan request.
• On March 21 inclement weather hindered helicopter transportation in
affected areas, requiring ground transportation of supplies and limiting
access for assessment missions.
• Access to water is still a concern with 875,000 households (2 million
people) without water across 11 Prefectures. In the worst affected
areas it could take a month before water is restored
• The Government’s Special Task Force for Livelihood Support of the
Affected Populations has announced its main priorities are debris
removal and relocating affected populations from the evacuation
centres to other parts of the country.
• The Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters reports that
approximately 3.2 million bottles of water have been delivered to
evacuation centers and hospitals in the affected areas to date.
• The National Emergency Management Committee, led by the Prime
Minister, has been established to oversee and coordinate all
response activities. A state of emergency has been declared. All
prefectures have also activated local government responses.
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
Japan MOFA: Update 22 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
USAID Fact Sheet #11: 21 March 2011
UNITED STATES RESPONSE
•
11 March, U.S. Ambassador to Japan John V. Roos declared a disaster due to the effects of the
earthquake and tsunami. In response, the U.S. Agency for International Development, (USAID)
deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) that includes disaster response experts,
nuclear experts, as well as urban search and rescue teams from Fairfax County and the Los Angeles
County Fire Departments. These teams include 144 personnel, 12 canines trained to detect live victims
and 45 tons of equipment. They’ve established a Base of Operations and send out reconnaissance
teams to locations identified by local authorities.
•
USAID also activated a Response Management Team (RMT) in Washington, D.C
• The USAID team is working to manage the overall USG response effort in Japan in coordination with
the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. U.S. experts from the NRC, Department of Energy, Department of
Health and Human Services and the U.S. military are in place in Japan, cooperating directly with
Japanese authorities to help contain the damage at the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors. They are
monitoring technical aspects and engaging with Japanese officials on efforts to cool the
reactors at Fukushima, as well as regarding the health impacts of radiation.
•
The Disaster Assistance Response Team continues to engage at three levels to determine any
possible humanitarian needs in Japan: nationally through Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
locally at the prefecture level and in coordination with U.S. Forces-Japan, and through
Japanese civil society organizations.
• 22 March - The U.S. Department of State advises U.S citizens of the deteriorating situation at the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The NRC continues to recommend that U.S. citizens who live
within 50 miles (80 km) of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant evacuate the area or take shelter
indoors if safe evacuation is not practical.
• The U.S. Embassy continues to deploy consular assistance teams around the Tohoku region, where
they worked with local authorities to locate U.S. citizens, visit shelters and assistance centers, and help
U.S. citizens identify public and commercial transportation options away from affected areas
•
In response to a GoJ request, USAID/OFDA has dispatched 10,000 sets of personal protective
equipment (PPE)—including suits, masks, gloves, decontamination bags, and other supplies—to
Yokota, Japan, from the USAID/OFDA chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and radiological
warehouse at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia. The PPE sets arrived In Tokyo on 21 March for
consignment to the GoJ and will be distributed to Self Defense Forces in Fukushima.
•
U.S. Forces have assisted in the re-opening of Sendai Airport for relief aid. Marine Corps
troops from Futenma, Iwakuni, and Okinawa have delivered food, water, fuel, and supplies
including clothing and blankets to Sendai. According to the UNOCHA, continuing priority
needs are fuel, temporary shelters, food, medicine, clothing, and sanitation materials.
US rescue workers, including one with a fiber optic telescopic camera (R),
check rubble for survivors in Ofunato. Photo credit: Nicholas Kamm / AFP
NOTES:
•
The U.S. DoD and DART teams continue to assist with
search and rescue activities. In addition, the teams are
providing support and monitoring with issues related to
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
•
Inclement weather has continued to hamper relief efforts
and is expected to continue. Heavy rains have grounded
helicopter transportation , requiring ground
transportation of supplies and limiting access for
assessment missions.
•
US Department of State has made Potassium Iodide (KI)
available to US government personnel as a precautionary
measure. The DOS advises that it should only be
consumed after specific instruction.
U.S. Embassy Tokyo News: 22 March 2011
U.S. Embassy Tokyo Fact Sheet for American Citizens Update 22 March 2011
DOS Note on Potassium Iodide 21 March 2011
DOS Travel Warning – Japan: Update 21 March 2011
USAID Fact Sheet 21 March 2011
COE Japan Update 21 March 2011
UNITED STATES RESPONSE
• 17 March, U.S. and U.K. USAR teams conducted a joint mission in three
previously unsearched sectors of Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture. The
combined teams searched a wide area of Kamaishi for 5 hours but did not
detect any live victims.
• 17 March, a 35-member DoE team began aerial surveillance missions to
measure air contamination between Tokyo and Fukushima. The DoE continues
to collect data for analysis. As of 22 March, the DoE has sent 39 experts and
17 tons of equipment to Japan, including aerial measuring devices and
radiation detectors.
• As of 18 March, nuclear specialists on the DART team include 11 NRC officers,
1 DoE officer, and 1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
officer. The DART team nuclear experts are monitoring technical aspects,
engaging with Japanese officials on the status of the health impacts of
radiation, and providing guidance through the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo on efforts
to cool reactors.
• U.S. Northern Command has sent a planning team with expertise in hazardous
materials and medical and logistical support to Japan to determine what
assistance the United States can provide in the nuclear reactor crisis. The team
will report to the commander of U.S. Forces Japan and will work with the
Japanese military to assess whether more U.S. help is needed.
• 19 March, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Travel Health
Precaution indicates that the “risk of exposure to radiation and the risk of
contamination from radioactive materials are believed to be low, especially for
anyone outside a 50-mile radius of a nuclear power plant.“
• 20 March, USAID/OFDA Director Mark Bartolini arrived in Tokyo for a threeday visit to meet with staff from the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Department of Defense
(DoD), U.N. agencies, and non-governmental organizations, as well as to travel
to tsunami-affected areas with the Disaster Assistance Response Team
(DART). A third DART military liaison officer arrived in Tokyo on March 21st to
work with DoD in defining humanitarian requirements and planning
humanitarian operations.
USAID Fact Sheet #11: 21 March 2011
U.S. Embassy Tokyo News: 22 March 2011
DOS Travel Warning – Japan: 17 March 2011
Ambassador Roos Press Conference: 16 March 2011
UNITED STATES RESPONSE
(DOD)
• Dubbed Operation Tomodachi -- Japanese for "friendship" -- U.S. military assets mobilizing in the area
include a wide range of equipment, air, sea, and ground capability and expertise. As of 21 March, Seventh
Fleet forces reported using 14 helicopters to deliver more than 47 tons of relief
• On 21 March the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group to include USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), USS
Preble (DDG 88), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS McCampbell (DDG 85), USS Mustin (89) and USS Curtis
Wilbur (DDG 54) along with USS Cowpens (CG-63) and USS Shiloh (CG-67) along with USS Harpers
Ferry (LSD 49), USS Germantown (LSD 42), USS Tortuga (LSD 46) along with USS Essex (LHD 2)
delivered 23 tons of HADR supplies via various helicopters to the hard hit area of near Hachinohe
• Commander Task Force 76 developed port clearance plans for the Hachinohe port. USNS Safeguard (TARS 50) is enroute Hachinohe to assist the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force with clearing debris from
the port.’
• USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), flagship for the United States Seventh Fleet, remains in the vicinity of Okinawa
to conduct transfers of supplies and personnel to augment the staff.
Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Jack Veselik uses
an IM-271/PD Radiacmeter to detect possible
surface contaminates on the gloves of Lt.
Jason Harrel. U.S. Navy
• The USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group continues operations north of Sendai
• The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) and embarked 31st Marine
Expeditionary Unit (MEU) continued humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts off the
northeast coast of the Japan island of Honshu, on March 23 in support of Operation Tomodachi.
• The MEU conducted surveys of the Hachinohe coastline to determine what areas were damaged, which
roads could be used, and where nationals may need assistance.
• The MEU is operating far away from any source of radiation, but pilots, crew and the aircraft go through a
thorough check upon return from every mission. Members of a radiological assistance team landed
aboard the USS Essex on 19 March. While providing humanitarian assistance is a goal of the crew,
ensuring the safety of the men and women performing these humanitarian missions is the main objective
of the radiological assessment control team.
• US Army Japan launched Logistic Task Force 35, to establish and maintain a distribution and supply point
at the Sendai Airport.
NOTE: The United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) has created a webpage that provides
information about relief efforts and U.S. military support of Operation Tomodachi in Japan.
http://www.pacom.mil/web/Site_Pages/Home_Page/AssistedDeparture-2011/Operation.shtml
Sea Knights take off from the flight deck of
USS Essex with humanitarian assistance and
disaster relief supplies. U.S. Navy
PACOM UPDATE As of 23 MARCH
DOD News 23 March
DOD News: 22 March 2011
DOD News: 22 March 2011
COE-DMHA Update: 21 March 2011
DOD News: 21 March 2011
DOD News: 21 March 2011
DOD News: 21 March 2011
UNITED NATIONS RESPONSE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION-REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC
(WHO-WPRO) IN MANILA
•
Dr. H. Ogawa, Team Leader Environmental Health of WHO/WPRO, continues to
support the WHO Kobe Center and coordinate with the UNDAC team.
UN DISASTER ASSESSMENT AND COORDINATION (UNDAC)
•
An UNDAC team, based at JICA Tokyo International Centre is supporting the
Government with information
•
The UNDAC mission will officially end on the 23 March.
•
Forward planning for assessment of status, risk and planning for response for potential
•
nuclear and human health needs are being conducted.
•
Funds have been made available for initiating training and planning for mental health
and psycho-social issues.
•
The WPRO Situation Room operating 24/7 to collect information and to monitor the
evolving events. Daily situation reports are produced based on official sources, media
reports and updates from other UN agencies.
•
WPRO closely coordinates with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan for
updates on radiation concerns, food safety issues, health situation in the evacuation
centers, and other post-disaster health issues. The National IHR Focal Point of Japan
has been designated as the contact person of WHO on the event.
•
External situation reports are issued regularly through the EHA website, and web
updates are done on a daily basis. FAQs are proactively developed based on inquiries
from the member states, partners and the general public.
•
Partner agencies have expressed material and human resources support to WHO for
the emergency.
•
WHO and FAO are updating information on food and water safety and will continue to
evaluate data and revise advice as the situation evolves. Through its partners, WHO is
consulting with a wide range of technical experts who are assisting in the scientific
evaluation of immediate and longer-term health implications of the situation.
All Search and Rescue operations will officially end. In total, 890 International
Search and Rescue (USAR) specialists and 37 rescue dogs from 20 teams
representing 15 countries have supported the Japanese rescue teams in this
disaster response.
•
UNDAC will hand over their reporting and some other functions to an OCHA
presence which has been temporarily set up in Japan.
•
International teams are expected to finish rescue operations in days.
•
The UNDAC team, based at JICA Tokyo International Centre will leave a residual
OCHA presence that will continue reporting on the humanitarian situation in the
disaster affected area and provide advice to the Government on acceptance of
assistance from internal NGO.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP)
• WFP will deploy logistics experts to participate in the Government's central
coordination response unit and establish a logistics coordination cell at the
Narita Airport in Tokyo in order to avoid airport congestion caused by the large
volume of incoming donations of relief items from third country governments.
• WFP will also provide emergency storage facilities to support the response
efforts of the Government.
NOTE:
• WHO is not advising general restrictions on travel to Japan.
OCHA SitRep No 12: 23 March 2001
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 10: 21 March 2011
WHO Top Stories – 22 March 2011
• Transportation & logistics remain a high priority to deliver essential aid to
isolated affected communities.
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 12: 21 March 2011
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST
• UNDAC mission will officially end on 23 March, including all Search and
Rescue operations. The GoJ has received 128 offers of assistance from
countries as well as 33 offers from international organizations. In total,
890 International Search and Rescue (USAR) specialists and 37 rescue
dogs from 20 teams representing 15 countries have supported the
Japanese rescue teams. UNDAC will hand over their reporting and some
other functions to an OCHA presence which has been temporarily set up
in Japan.
• WORLD VISION has delivered blankets, bottled water, sanitary and
hygiene supplies for more than 6,000 people in urgent need in Minami
Sanriku and Tome.
JRCS
distributing
relief packs in
evacuation
centers
Photo: IFRC
NOTE:
• Multiple international health and welfare organizations are
operating in the impacted area to support displaced and
vulnerable populations, with specific attention to the
highly vulnerable and substantial elderly population.
• All offers of assistance should be directed to the GoJ.
• INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS International Medical Corps
has completed another assessment of the affected areas and reports
that health care for the vulnerable and the elderly in evacuation
centers, and possibly also for those who have stayed in their homes
in the affected areas, and mental health care for those affected by the
disaster remains the biggest priority.
- International Medical Corps’ emergency response team is
assessing the post-disaster needs of isolated coastal villages
north of Sendai that have yet to receive humanitarian
assistance.
- Shortages of food, water, fuel and some medicines, and
survivors in need of mental health support have been found.
- International Medical Corps’ assessments include:
Kesennuma, Riken-Takata, East Matsushima, and areas
north of Ishinomaki.
- Based on assessments at evacuation centers and a regional
hospital where critical patients have been referred,
International Medical Corps will work to fill essential gaps including addressing the need for food, water and chronic
medicines at shelters, providing psychological support, and if
needed deploying four medical teams currently on standby.
• ADVENTIST DEVELOPMENT AND RELIEF AGENCY (ADRA)
Through ongoing coordination efforts with local governmental
authorities, ADRA has been appointed to support an evacuation enter
in Wakabayashi ward located in Sendai City of the Miyagi prefecture.
This center is currently housing approximately 1,300 displaced
persons of which 350 are receiving 24-hour care. ADRA immediately
dispatched a two-ton truck loaded with food and non-food items, fuel
and cooking gas, which arrived at the evacuation center in Sendai in
the early morning hours on Thursday.
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
OCHA Rep. No. 10: 21 March 2011
World Vision News: 21 March 2011
ADRA Press Release: 18 March 2011
IMC News: 22 March 2011
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been providing medical
consultations in evacuation centers in Minami Sanriku, where around
10,000 people are housed in 20 locations.
• The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) is currently in Japan, working to support the Japanese Red
Cross as it expands its activities.
• Two MSF mobile teams are working in Minami Sanriku. Another team
has been assessing communities between Kesennuma and Miyako
on the northeast coastline. MSF is considering starting activities for
elderly patients in Miyako and will now assess the situation in
Rikuzentakada as well.
• The Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) is scaling up its relief operations to
help meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of survivors housed in
evacuation centers.
• The situation in areas seen by MSF’s team in northern Miyagi
prefecture is evolving quickly, as the massive national relief effort
clears access to areas and large quantities of relief supplies continue
to come in. The main issues seen by the MSF doctors remain chronic
diseases in what is largely an elderly population.
• Before the earthquake, MSF in Japan had around 40 people working
in the Tokyo office. Five additional people have joined the office in the
capital to work on the emergency.
• As of 21 March, a total of 249 medical teams, involving more than 735
persons and on four- day rotations, have been deployed to the affected
prefectures including Miyagi, Iwate, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Yamagata, Chiba and
Tochigi. Medical teams were also deployed to Hokkaido and Nagano.
• Over 125,530 blankets and 20,760 emergency relief packs have been
distributed and now further supplies of badly needed items are being procured
from other parts of Japan, including nappies, baby food, undershirts and face
masks. These supplies will target up to 100,000 people.
• Red Cross planners are consulting with local authorities to map out other
ways to facilitate stays in evacuation centers such as the provision of hot
showers and the improvement of sanitation facilities
• The Red Cross will continue its efforts, focusing on the psychological wellbeing of a mainly elderly population.
• Restoring Family Links (www.familylinks.icrc.org/eng/familylinks-japan) is the
designated webpage, supported by the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC), for persons to register persons sought and to report their being
safe.
- Facilitates the use of the site by people of different nationalities, an
interface for up to 5 languages has been established, including
Japanese, English, Korean, Chinese, and Portuguese.
Dr. Yoshitaka Nakagawa consults with a patient at an
evacuation center in Kesennuma. Photo: MSF
MSF News: 21 March 2011
IFRC Info Bulletin 4: 22 March 2011
- To date, a total of 5,103 registrations were recorded, of which 1,359
are from Japanese people
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST
(LIST OF ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AFFECTED AREA)
•
AAR (Association for Aid and Relief): Fuel, water, food, hygiene products and emergency relief
item distribution in Sendai, Iwanuma and Ishinomaki city, Yamamoto town, Miyagi Pref. as well as
Otsuchi town, Iwate Pref.
•
AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia): Doctors, nurses, and coordinators, providing
medical assistance and distribution of basic supplies in Sendai city and Minamisanriku, Miyagi
Pref and Kamaishi city, Iwate Pref.
•
CARE: Emergency relief items arrived Kamaishi city, Iwate Pref.
•
Child Fund: Distributed hygiene products in Minami Soma City, Fukushima Pref.
•
Civic Force: Relief items continue to reach Kesen’numa city. Major companies are providing
cash/in-kind donations.
•
•
Good Neighbors: Relief and hygiene products distribution in Oduchi town, Iwate
JEN: Food and basic relief items distribution Sendai, Miyagi Pref.,accepting listed in-kind donation
from public till 24 Mar.
•
JIFH (Japan International Food for the Hungry): Distribution of food and basic supplies in
Sendai city and Date city, Fukushima, with international aid workers joining its base camp, relief
items are also collected from Western part of Japan and its US partner.
•
JPF: Distributing food, water in Sendai city, coordinating JPF member organizations.
•
JVC: Basic medical supply item distribution in Natori city, Miyagi.
•
KnK Japan: Distribution of basic relief item and baby fomula milk in Kita Ibaraki city, Ibaraki Pref.
•
The NGO collaboration center for HANSHIN QUAKE Rehabilitation/CODE: providing food in
Natori city, Miyagi Pref.
•
NICCO: Medical assistance (including psychological care), toiletries distribution, portable toilet
set-up Natori and Iwanuma city, Miyagi Pref. and site investigation in Rikuzentakata city, Iwate
Pref.
•
Plan Japan: Providing psychological care for children at teachers training event, Tagajo, Miyagi.
•
Rocinantes: Providing medical assistance in Natori, Iwanuma city, Miyagi Pref.
•
Shaplaneer: Providing food and relief items in Kita Ibaraki city, Ibaraki Pref.
•
PWJ (Peace Winds Japan): Expanded its operation in Ofunato and
Rikuzentakada, Iwate Pref., distribution of relief items, free iridium
satellite telephone services and mobile phone charging services in
Kesen’numa, Miyagi Pref.
•
SHARE: Medical assistance in Natori city, Miyagi Pref., providing
medical need information in English
•
Shanti: Distribution of relief items and food in Kesen’numa, Miyagi
Pref.
SEEDSAsia Situation Report 6: 21 March 2011
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST
(LOCAL RESPONSE)
SEEDS Asia Situation Report 6: 21 March 2011
HEALTH – MEDICAL TEAMS
•
Through the coordination by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
(MHLW), various medical institutions have dispatched or in the process of
dispatching medical assistance teams to the affected areas.
•
The Ministry has assessed the capacity of social welfare facilities in the nonaffected Prefectures to receive patients. It found there is space available for
28,929 in elderly facilities, 5,345 in handicapped facilities, 6,745 in child
welfare facilities, and 685 in other protection facilities.
•
The Japanese Red Cross has had 171 teams on the ground since the
disaster, 48 of which are still active. They are helping treat injuries, illnesses
and provide psychosocial support. A Red Cross psychosocial team is also
based at Ishinomaki Hospital in Miyagi Prefecture. Red Cross doctors are
seeing an increase in influenza and diarrheal diseases among the displaced
communities and cases of hypothermia and pneumonia among people who
have survived long periods in water.
• Another group of AMDA personnel arrived in Minamisanriku-cho
and reached another emergency center established in the local
athletic ground (Minamisanriku-cho Sports Exchange Villa Athletic
Ground.) They joined the earlier team to work in the local daycare
center (evacuation shelter.) The team is later scheduled to work at
a local elementary school where currently 650 people have been
evacuated.
• Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has 50 staff in Japan, compared
to 5000 deployed after the Haiti quake. Twelve staff are in the field
running mobile clinics and assessments in Miyagi
• A preliminary IDF Homefront Command medical delegation
arrived Monday 21 March 2011 in the Miyagi prefecture north of
Tokyo and have begun their appraisal of requirements that will
enable the dispatch of the full-scale medical delegation, which is
due to leave Israel shortly.
OCHA SitRep No. 11: 22 March 2011
Govt. of Israel: 21 March 2011
AMDA Emergency Bulletin #5
•
On 19 March AMDA's eighth team arrived in Hanamaki Airport and
started providing medical services in Kamaishi City and Ohtsuchicho.
The team has been delivering mobile (donated-electronic vehicles)
clinic services in five locations, namely, Ohtsuchi High school
(Otsuchicho), and Kamaishi Jr. High School, Futaba Elementary
School, City Gymansium, and Nakashima Gymnasium (Kamaishi City.)
•
On 19 March AMDA team in Sendai moved to Minamisanriku-cho. At
the local disaster headquarters set in Minamisanriku-cho Bay Side
Arena, the team provided orthopedic treatments and provided medicine
to 100-some patients. A number of patients with chronic diseases such
as high blood pressure and diabetes were seen.
•
On 20 March, beside treating patients, AMDA team provided
comprehensive support ranging from setting up examination rooms,
improving toilets for patient-use, guiding visitors and developing a map
of the facility. The team returned to Sendai after providing necessary
services in the facility.
HEALTH - HOSPITALS
•
The National Hospital Organization has dispatched 17 medical teams to Iwate
(7 teams 39 personnel), Miyagi (5 teams 27 personnel) and Fukushima (5
teams 19 personnel). The Japan Medical Association has dispatched 24
teams and the All Japan Hospital Association and the Japan Association of
Medical Care Corporations have jointly sent 11 teams to the affected areas.
•
In the town of Tagajo on the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, the Sen-en Hospital
has been without electricity, gas or running water for nearly two weeks. There
are shortages of basic medicines. Several elderly patients have died because
of the freezing temperatures in the wards.
-
Most of the patients here have had strokes or cerebral infections, so
they can't move by themselves
-
Most needed is the special milk, which is fed through tubes. They don't
have any of that so they aren't getting enough nutrition
-
The army has installed a generator, which operates for two hours in the
evening and is a vital window for the doctors to perform the most
important tasks.
•
About 200 patients were transferred to nearby hospitals. Those who remain
are the most serious cases.
•
As of March 20, the WHO reports that medical doctors with non
Japanese medical licenses will be allowed to conduct basic medical
treatment. MHLW has also relaxed several regulations to facilitate
medical assistance such as allowing medical institutes to sell or
contribute medicine without permission from the Prefectural Government as
well as requesting that the Customs Bureau relax customs procedures to
facilitate the speedy delivery of medical items from foreign countries.
•
.• The UN reports that deaths are being reported in hospitals due
to the lack of medicines, fuel and other basic items. Nearly 40
elderly people are reported to have died since being moved to
evacuation centers due to the cold weather, as well as physical and
mental stress. Deaths are also being reported in hospitals due to
the lack of medicines, fuel and other basic items.
Elderly patients forced to move from a hospital near the
Fukushima nuclear plant are treated at a hospital in
Koriyama, outside the exclusion zone.
Some hospitals say that without urgent assistance they will not be able to treat
patients. Of the disaster designated hospitals in the Kanto area, 20 are at
capacity and 130 are still accepting additional patients
COE-DMHA update: 20 March 2001
WHO-WPRO SitRep No. 13: 22 March 2011
MSF NEWS: 20 March 2011
Voice of America (VOA): 22 March 2011
OCHA SitRep No. 9: 20 March 2011