3 Years after Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami

Japan, 11 March 2014: Japan marked on Tuesday the 3^rd anniversary of one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded that hit Japan's Eastern Coast leading to a ferocious tsunami. The disaster killed over 17.000 people and hundreds of thousands were left homeless.

On the occasion, Bishop Isao Kikuchi, SVD, President of Caritas Japan, renewed his appeal for support and prayers because many of the affected people “are living in the darkness of despair and loss".

In this message the bishop said that even though “we thought, considering the economic strength and technological advancement of Japan, three years would be quite enough for the disaster hit area to return to normal life”. But ‘It is not so.’

According to him, more than 270,000 people are not able to return to their homes. Almost as many are still living in temporary shelters. As for the nuclear power plants in Fukushima, no one actually knows what are really going on inside the damaged plants.

He said that “the disaster hit area is under the Catholic Diocese of Sendai and Caritas Japan has been supporting the relief efforts of the diocese. Entire Catholic Church communities in Japan have worked together to support Sendai diocese”.
In February, the Catholic Bishops of Japan renewed their resolution to continue the effort to mobilize entire Catholic communities in Japan for another 3 years. The Catholic Church in our country is committed to accompanying people in the disaster hit area as long as they need us. So we still need your support and prayers, added the Bishop Kikuchi.Source: Varie