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International Medical Corps Team in Hardest-Hit Coastal

Communities Finds Severe Shortages of Food, Water, Medicines;


Acute Need for Mental Health Support

**For  IMMEDIATE  Release**

Margaret  Aguirre
Director,  Global  Communica5ons
310.826.7800
maguirre@Interna5onalMedicalCorps.org

March  18,  2011,  Los  Angeles,  Calif.  –  Interna5onal  Medical  Corps’  emergency  response  team  is  assessing  
the  post-­‐disaster   needs  of  isolated  coastal  villages  north  of  Sendai  that  have  yet  to   receive  humanitarian  
assistance.   They  found   acute  shortages   of   food,  water   and   some  medicines,   and   survivors  in  need   of  
mental  health  support.

Many  are  without  heat  in  an  area  where  temperatures  have  dipped  below  freezing  and  snow   has  been  
falling  –   puNng   survivors  in  danger  of  exposure.  Mean5me,  disrupted  supply  chains  and  fuel  shortages  
have  caused  most  convenience  stores  to  close.

On  Friday,  Interna5onal  Medical  Corps’  team  visited   three  heavily  destroyed   towns  north  of  Sendai  -­‐   one  
in   par5cular,   East   Matsushima,   was  virtually   washed   away   by   the   tsunami.   “We   saw   first-­‐hand   how  
extensive  the  material  and  human   damage  of  the  tsunami  and  earthquake  was,”  said  team  member  Dr.  
Mutsuo  Ikuhara.  “Displaced  people  lost  everything  and  require  much  emo5onal  support.   We  are  deeply  
moved  by  the  strength  and  dignity  of  the  people  and  their  terrible  suffering.”    

Based  on   its  assessments  at  evacua5on   centers  and  a  regional  hospital  where  cri5cal  pa5ents  have  been  
referred,   Interna5onal   Medical  Corps  will  work   to   fill  cri5cal  gaps   -­‐   including   addressing   the   need   for  
food,  water   and  chronic  medicines  at  shelters,  providing  psychological  support,   and  if  needed  deploying  
four  medical  teams  currently  on  standby.  

In   its   assessment   in   Sendai,   Interna5onal   Medical   Corps   found   that   although   the   coastal   area   had  
suffered   large-­‐scale  damage  to  infrastructure,  the  main  city  is  func5oning  rela5vely  well,  with  electricity  
and  regular  services  being  restored.   The  team  visited  University  Hospital,  a  1,250-­‐bed   facility,  and  found  
it  func5oning  reasonably  well.  There  are  some  shortages  in  food,  water  and  basic   supplies,  with  people  
forming  long  lines  for  available  supplies.  There  is  also  a  no5ceable  fuel  shortage.

While  Japan   has  significant  capacity   to   manage   emergencies,   the  magnitude  of   this  disaster  –   coupled  
with   the   threat   of   nuclear   exposure   –   has   been   large   enough   to   warrant   interna5onal   assistance.  
Interna5onal   Medical   Corps   is   providing   logis5cal   support   and   technical   exper5se   to   local   health  
authori5es   based   on   its  more   than  25  years  of   experience  in  disaster  response,  including   following  the  
2004  Southeast  Asian  Tsunami  and  the  2010  Hai5  earthquake.  

The  9.0  earthquake  on  March  11  triggered  a  tsunami  that  buried  many  northern  towns  in  a  wall  of  water.  
Japanese  news  media  report  that  up  to  10,000  people   may  have  been  killed,  but  much   of  the   north  is  
s5ll   inaccessible.   It   has   been   described   as   the   largest   earthquake   on   record   for   Japan.   Hundreds   of  
aaershocks  con5nue  to  shake  the  country,  with  a  second  large  earthquake  of  7.4-­‐magnitude.

Thousands   in   the  tsunami  zone  are  without  water,   heat,  electricity,   or  phone  service,  and   some  areas  
have  been   en5rely  cut   off.  On  Friday,   President   Barack   Obama  said  the   United   States  was  prepared   to  
help  however  needed.  

In  addi5on,   there  have  been  explosions  at   nuclear   power  plants  in   northern  Japan,   compounding   the  
crisis.   While   the   level  of   radia5on   leaked   is  unknown,   Japanese   authori5es   have   ordered   large-­‐scale  
evacua5ons  surrounding  the  reactor  zones.

Interna5onal   Medical   Corps  has  been   a   leading   responder   to  emergencies  in   more  than   50   countries,  
including   the   2004   Southeast   Asian   tsunami,   2005   Pakistan   earthquake,   2010   Hai5   earthquake   and  
Pakistan  floods.

Since   its  incep*on  nearly  25  years  ago,  Interna*onal  Medical  Corps’   mission  has  been   consistent:  relieve  
the   suffering   of   those   impacted   by   war,   natural   disaster   and   disease,   by   delivering   vital   health   care  
services  that   focus   on  training.  This  approach  of   helping  people   help   themselves   is  cri*cal  to  returning  
devastated   popula*ons   to   self-­‐reliance.   For   more   informa*on   visit   our   website   at   www.Interna*onal  
Medical  Corps.org.  Also  see  us  on  Facebook  and  follow  us  on  TwiHer.    

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