Northern Kyushu Flooding and Landslides: Emergency Response
Record-setting rainfall since July 5, 2017, has hit the northern part of Kyushu, centered on Fukuoka and Oita prefectures. This unprecedented amount of rain has caused massive flooding over wide areas, and landslides.
Heavy rain continues to fall intermittently in affected areas, roads have been flooded, and homes severely damaged. Hardest hit include the mountainous areas of Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, and the Disaster Relief Act will apply to these areas as enormous damage has been reported. Overall, the full scale of damage is yet to be determined, but there are areas where utilities have completely stopped, and many residents have been forced to evacuate.
As of July 6, PBV has dispatched staff members to Kyushu to assess the situation, and to consider further support activities. Currently, four PBV staff members are exchanging information about affected areas and assistance needed in both Fukuoka and Oita prefectures with local governments, social welfare councils, and support groups who rushed to Kyushu from other parts of Japan to help. Furthermore, PBV has been requested by a social welfare council to start the first round of emergency response by establishing and managing the Disaster Relief Volunteer Center in Tohomura Village, Fukuoka Prefecture.
During a disaster, the situation on the ground rapidly changes. PBV will continue to work with local governments and groups to give top priority to residents affected so that they can return to their normal way of life as soon as possible.
If you would like to support the residents affected by this disaster, please access our English-language donations page listed below.
Donations Page:
http://pbv.or.jp/en/donate/2017kyushu/
For regular updates, please see our Facebook page (Japanese):
https://www.facebook.com/PBVsaigai/