A girl with her dog in front of a backdrop of total destruction in Minami Soma - APOne month to the day that the 9.0 Earthquake and subsequent Tsunami destroyed parts of Japan some hard hit areas are still without basic necessities and the health of survivors is starting to decline. Some Shelters have been without proper meals since the Tsunami hit. It is a monumental task to deliver aid to all those effected. Not only are the official shelters packed with people but unofficial shelters like individual homes housing upwards of 20 people or businesses that survived intact and are now home to spillover from the shelters though in some cases they are the lucky ones their mental health isn't being as effected as those who are living in larger Evacuation Shelters. Many of the larger shelters can no longer handle the amount of people living in them let alone pets sanitary conditions in general are worsening and a more permanent housing solution not only for the elderly and babies needs to be found but for all people living in the official and unofficial Shelters and especially for those still living in their car or in houses that are badly damaged.
The Prime Minister of Japan said yesterday that the Japanese people will not abandon the survivors of the Tsunami but that the country must look towards the future. He said they would do their best to build housing for 150,000 displaced people and will do everything in their power to get the fishermen who did survive back to their sources of livelihood as soon as possible. Of course most of that hinges on being able to finally get the Nuclear Power Plants under control.
JEARS Veterinarian treating an injured animal
Animal rescue groups who have been out there from the very beginning helping the animals finding them amid the debris and rubble of their old homes and taking them to safety need your help. They need help getting the message to the Shelters to tell people their animals might have been found or to tell them that there is someone their animals can stay where they will be given shelter and care. JEARS is taking in all animals from birds and chickens to cats and dogs who need help. No strings attached the animals will be cared for or found a foster home until their owners are in a position to pick them up and care for them properly.
The government will be officially extending the Exclusion Zone officially to 30 kms in certain areas, depending on wind direction, and residents would be given a week to prepare for evacuation in order to be sure to have time to pack up their belongings and find suitable shelter for themselves. This is a departure from their current stand that evacuation was only on a voluntary basis even though international organizations have been pleading with them to enforce it actually to enforce and 80 km zone.
It is being said that authorities would soon forcibly close the 20 km zone, stopping people returning to their shattered homes to pick through the rubble for belongings and forcing those that are still living in the area to leave. The goal is to have no one left in the 20 km zone. It is important that if you know of anyone still living in the 20 km zone or going back inside to feed their animals or look after their homes to make arrangements to have their animals taken to safety. If they need help getting their animals out or if they need shelter for their animals they can contact David Wybenga – JEARS, co-founder via email david@jears.org
There are so many animals already identified as living inside the Exclusion Zone I am not sure that they will all be able to be rescued before the closing of the 20 km zone. Rescuers will be allowed in the area but I honestly don't know if that will include animal rescuers or not. Many rescues were set to go back to Fukushima on Friday but their plans were changed and it become slightly harder when there was another 7.2 Earthquake off the coast of Japan at about midnight on Thursday night. I know that JEARS is working hard to get back to the area to rescue several animals that have been identified with pictures and locations. The organizations going into the Exclusion Zone have a very long week ahead of them.
Japan Set to Extend Nuclear Evacuation Zone:
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=6d8f737155f3f210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Asia+%26+World&s=News
We Will never Abandon You M tells Survivors:
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=483b86972034f210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Asia+%26+World&s=News
Information on how you can help the animals
http://jears.org/how-you-can-help/
Information on how you can help the human survivors
http://www.japanjewishrelief.org