We are slowly coming to terms with the earthquake disaster and tsunami which recently hit Japan on March 11th at 2:46pm (JST). We would like to send our very best wishes and most heartfelt sympathies to all affected by the terrible events of the last few days. We would also like to thank the countries involved in the huge relief efforts (over 115 countries at present), as well as anyone working as part of those efforts on the ground in Japan, and of course everyone who is remembering Japan in their thoughts and prayers.
However, it is clearly not over yet. The Fukushima Nuclear Power plant is still in danger of meltdown, and still more major earthquakes are being recorded. According to meteorological agencies (jiji.com), until midday (JST) on the 17th March , there had been 247 after-shocks, all of which registered over magnitude 5, including 49 over magnitude 6, and 3 which registered over magnitude 7. The biggest aftershock was recorded at magnitude 7.5 on the 11th March at 3:25pm (JST). There is also the distinct possibility that other big aftershocks are yet to happen, which could cause yet more damage. People are fleeing the worst affected areas in the hope that they will be safer elsewhere, putting a huge strain on the public transport systems. It’s easy to feel totally helpless when faced with the awesome power of nature like this, but there is of course something you can do.
To help, PayPal have set up an easy payment method for participating charities, namely Global Giving, Good Gifts, British Red Cross and Save the Children. Just follow the link below and select your charity and the amount you want to donate.
https://www.paypal-donations.co.uk/campaign_13.html
Alternatively, most charities are able to accept donations via cheque or credit card so please do your bit to help Japan in its hour of need. We hope you find it in your hearts to help out financially and donate as much as you can. Be aware that there are also some scam emails going around, especially on Facebook, which are asking for donations. These are scams and are only after your credit card details. Make sure you trust the organisation that you are donating to, and that your details are safe whilst online.
If you would rather donate direct to the Japanese Red Cross, or if you live in Japan and want to help, please visit www.jrc.or.jp/english.
We are also looking into the possibility of organising a fund raising event, and as soon as more details are available we’ll post the information on the blog here. If you have any suggestions, please let us know. Maybe you have an event planned and would like to team up in some way? Whatever you are doing, let us know and hopefully we can help each other to help Japan.
In the meantime, here are some useful links for more information…
News coverage from the Japanese National Broadcaster NHK (in English)
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv
News coverage from the Tokyo Broadcasting System TBS (in Japanese)
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tbstv
The latest developments, live updates and much more from the very informative
Gakuranman.com
