Twelve Years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: the baton of support continues to be passed on

March 11, 2023, marks 12 years since the triple disaster which hit Japan in 2011.

The total number of deaths reached 22,212, including those who died as a direct result of the disaster, those whose whereabouts are still unknown, and other “disaster-related deaths,” such as those who passed away while living in evacuation shelters. We pray for the souls of the victims and offer our heartfelt condolences to their families.

We visited the city of Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture, where the winter cold was still severe, to begin disaster-related support activities. Local community members taught us a great deal about the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

The desperate evacuation amidst flurries of snow, the trauma of seeing people swept away in front of their eyes, the firelight illuminating the city that had lost its light, the feeling of hands clasped tightly around children as their hearts pounded with each aftershock, trying not to let go of them.

Such painful memories were etched in the minds of each person who experienced the disaster.

Many volunteers from all over Japan rushed to the disaster stricken areas to support the lives and recovery of those affected. Yet more people even crossed the ocean and came from overseas. A team from Sri Lanka, who wanted to return the favor done by Japanese people after the earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Sumatra, camped at Ishinomaki’s Senshu University while carrying out relief activities.

Turkiye, which has close ties with Japan, was quick to dispatch a rescue team to Miyagi to conduct search operations. The Turkish rescue team of about 30 people spent three weeks in Tagajo, Ishinomaki and Shichigahama, mainly searching for missing persons, while staying in the town of Rifu.

The baton of support continues to be passed on.

February 6, 2023, 4:17 a.m. local time.

At dawn, when the coldness of the day still lingered, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the southern part of Turkiye, with the area of devastation extending 170 km.

Since the first reports of the disaster, the scale of the damage has continued to grow daily. More than 52,000 people have lost their lives, including 46,000 in Turkiye and 6,000 in neighboring Syria (as of March 7, 2023). Since then, more than 300 small and large aftershocks have occurred, and many people continue to live in evacuation in tents.

Still, the baton of support is passed on.

Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) will keep in mind the experience and lessons of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and continue to support people in and beyond Japan.