Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Japan.
Two weeks after the devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and monstrous tsunami that followed in northeastern Japan, the confirmed toll of dead and still unaccounted for had risen to more than 27,000 on Friday, March 25. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of continued strong aftershocks and in the disaster-hit areas.

According the NHK news agency, at least 56 hospital patients perished since the calamities due to insufficient medical care from loss of electricity and delays in the delivery of medical supplies.

Dr. Takeshi Kanno, whose hospital and town of Minamisanriku in Miyagi Prefecture were flattened by the tsunami, has been managing the needs and medical treatment in the area since the disaster.

Dr. Takeshi Kanno, Head physician of Shizugawa Hospital, Minamisanriku Town Medical Treatment Manager (M): All the hospitals were completely destroyed, and all clinics were gone, too. Even though some medical practitioners have survived somehow, no beds are available.
Besides, basically all medical goods such as medicines need to be resupplied, because all that we originally had were washed away.

VOICE: Expressing her gratefulness for all international aid extended to Japan at this time, Supreme Master Ching Hai has donated US$80,000 in aid since the initial catastrophe. In addition to donations from our global Association members, the total contribution sums up to more than US$110,000.

With her sorrowful prayers and love, she asked that our Association members, including doctors and nurses, please go and deliver essential supplies such as medicine to the victims, particularly the elderly and children.

Our Japanese and Formosan (Taiwanese) Association members have been working in two teams to render aid to the worst-hit areas, bringing urgent necessities in part supplied by our Association members in South Korea.

Per Supreme Master Ching Hai’s instructions, a medical team from Formosa also recently arrived in Japan. At the urgent request of Minamisanriku Town, they delivered 50 blood pressure gauges and 66 thermometersto Shizugawa Hospital.

The medical personnel were touched, many with tears when receiving Supreme Master Ching Hai’s aid.
Dr. Takeshi Kanno (M): I am very grateful for your compassion. Frankly speaking, many things are still insufficient, so we are requesting support from various places.

Some places are responding promptly, but others are not so. We would like to heartily express our gratitude for your speedy cooperation in this time.

Dr. Takeshi Kanno (M): Fortunately, doctors, nurses, as well as clerical work staffs are gathering now from every corner of Japan. Domestically provided physical supports seems to be considerably sufficient, but just like your aid this time, a variety of support is needed.

VOICE: With government officials initially recommending that people living between 20 and 30 kilometers from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant stay indoors, they are now advising residents to voluntarily evacuate this area, due in part to concerns about limited access to daily necessities, especially after some companies have refused to make deliveries near the plant.

On Thursday, a commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization said that radioactive particles emitted earlier from the plant have already reached the US and Iceland in trivial amounts and are expected to reach Europe within a couple of days.

A senior official said that while the quantities are currently considered negligible and do not endanger human health, the radioactivity has not decreased from the Fukushima plant thus far. At the nuclear plant itself, workers continue trying to restore power to prevent a nuclear meltdown
at any of the reactors.

With news on Friday of potential damage to reactor No. 3, Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan praised emergency personnel risking their lives at the plant as he warned, “The current situation is still very unpredictable. We're working to stop the situation from worsening. We need to continue to be extremely vigilant.”

After three workers at reactor No. 3 were exposed to high levels of radiation, with two who were hospitalized with burns, it was found that they had been standing in water contaminated with radioactive substances 10,000 times higher than normal, indicating possible damage to the reactor’s vessel, pipes, or valves.

Two more workers were evacuated Friday after being exposed to radiation-contaminated water as well. Despite these setbacks, water pumping efforts continue along with the power restoration endeavors, focusing Friday on a switch from using seawater, which contains debris and salt that could rust and clog the pipes, to pumping fresh water into reactors Nos. 1 through 4. This effort is being joined by US forces, who will begin supplying freshwater early next week.

Our appreciation, all governments, officials, and personnel extending help to Japan through these devastations. We also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her unconditional aid, as well as our Association’s relief team for their hard-working assistance.

With our sympathies to all afflicted by the disasters, we pray for the Japanese people's resiliency and that further such hardships subside as we actively engage in kinder, more benevolent ways.