Save the Children warns that at least 100,000 children have been displaced because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Save the Children has sent emergency response teams to assess the needs of children and their families in the worst affected tsunami areas between Miyagi Prefecature and Tokyo in Japan.
“We are extremely concerned for children in tsunami-affected areas that are at risk because of a triple whammy of life-threatening incidents including an earthquake, tsunami and now an incident at a nuclear reactor,” Stephen McDonald, Save the Children’s team leader in Japan said.
Evacuations centers are being established in the area and along the tsunami-affected coast to accommodate people, and it will be important that children’s needs are met while parents register for help and assistance from authorities.
“We’re looking to set up child-friendly spaces in the worst affected areas. These spaces provide children with an opportunity to play safely with other children while freeing up their parents to work on the recovery,” added McDonald..
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake – confirmed as the largest to hit Japan since records began and the fifth strongest to occur anywhere in the world in the past 100 years – hit the north-east of the country. It was followed by a series of substantial aftershocks, which still continue to strike.
It is estimated that the earthquake – and the subsequent 33-foot high tsunami which it triggered – has claimed over 8,600 lives. Thousands more remain missing.
Recent reports show several villages now under water with at least one city completely destroyed. Due to the fears of an explosion near the nuclear plant, 215,000 people are reported to have been evacuated and to have spent the night without electricity and water.
Save the Children has been operating in Japan for 25 years. We have staff on the ground in Japan and an emergency response team is heading to Sendai, the closest city to the earthquake epicentre, and other affected areas. We're extremely concerned for the welfare of any children caught up in this – they're always the most vulnerable in any emergency.
“Children in Japan have survived through a major quake, a lethal tsunami and some have even lived through fires and fears of explosions," said Steve McDonald, leading Save the Children’s emergency response in Japan.
A woman takes care of her children at a shelter for earthquake affected people in Sendai on March 13, 2011. Photo credit: PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images
"We know from experience that, especially with the ongoing aftershocks still being felt here and fears of another tsunami, children will be terrified and desperately in need of structured help and care," McDonald continued. "From today, Save the Children will be scaling up so that we can help provide that care and reduce the long term negative effects that such a chronic disaster can leave on children in their formative years.”
How we will help
Save the Children has launched the appeal for USD 5 million to do the following:
- Deliver psychosocial support to help overcome the shock and stress that the disaster and devastation have caused
- Set up child friendly spaces to provide a protective environment where children can spend time with other children and trained teachers. This service also allows parents much needed time that they can dedicate to investigating food sources, work, accommodation and locating other friends and family
- Monitor the nuclear power plant and prepare contingency plans for any future changes
The Japanese government has a very sophisticated response system in place, and we will work closely with the Japanese government and other agencies to ensure that our efforts are co-ordinated, and that children are prioritized.
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