Another report from our friend and customer Shizuko in Japan.
(note: Medecins Sans Frontieres is the French version of Doctors Without Borders, one of our top charity $ recipients)
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In addition to the earthquake/tsunami, blasts at the nuclear power generating plants have become the top news.
Residents within 30-km of those plants are being evacuated. Even my friend in Yokohama is receiving two people (out of 30 needed to
evacuate) from the same company she works.
There are still 380,000 people in the evacuation centers (29 people died there). It is reported that after a week of very trying days, a sign of
recovery has become noticeable ? making self-help efforts toward recovery by helping and encouraging each other. Much needed goods like
water, blankets, powdered milk, foods have been arriving and started finally to be delivered to the people in need. However, due to lack of
gasoline and damaged infrastructure, solid logistics action/assistance have yet to be established.
In one scene on TV, you see piled-up donated goods, in other seen (a hospital located within 30 km of nuclear power generated plants), a doctor
was calling desparately tonight for immediate attention in need of foods, water, gasoline in particular. The hospital has 199 beds and tried to move/evacuate
patients as much as they can, but there are still 150 patients severely ill like ventilated patients and also a half of them are elderly. Before the evacuation,
there were 8 doctors (now 4), 80 nurses/medical staff (now 10) and cook. Tsunami refugees sheltering there are helping, like feeding the patients.
They only have one more days food.
Dr. Eric Barnes, Director General of Japan Medecins Sans Frontieres visited Miyagi and Iwate and expressed his concern on symptom of dehydration.
Well I must stop here.
Thank you for your continued prayers and attention,
Shizuko
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