It has been 12 days since Japan was rocked by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, wiping out entire towns off the map and shifted the island nation eight feet. Since last Friday’s disaster was unleashed, aftershocks continued to shake residents through the weekend, some larger than the earthquake which nearly placed Haiti in ruins last year. Children have been the hardest hit by the disaster, many literally have seen their world crumble or wash away before their eyes.
As the country is only now beginning to prepare for an unfolding nuclear crisis, which is only compounding relief efforts as the country works tirelessly to provide disaster recovery and aid as they are now faced with a wave of nuclear refugees. Tens of thousands have fled the contamination zones, but many elderly have remained and refuse to leave. As search teams continue to search for the dead, hundreds of thousands search for basic necessities such as food, shelter and water. Radiation has spread farther than thought, and contaminated sea water has been found as far as 10 miles out. However while the limits are still considered safe for humans they are 126 times the legal limit. Recent estimates place some 4000,000 people in total are displaced, while another 1.4 million people are without access to water.
The child survivors of this natural and nuclear catastrophe are in need of medical attention, support coping with the trauma following the aftermath of the disaster and loss of family and friends, as well as ensure that they are protection from any additional harm. Various international aid agencies are working to ensure that these needs are fulfilled alongside of the country’s existing resources, however it is a long road ahead. The economic impact of this triple disaster is only just now beginning to unfold the the long-term effect that it will have on the people of Japan, especially the children, who may be left to face a childhood of rebuilding and recovery, has not yet been fully seen. The World Bank has estimated that it will take some 235 Billion U.S. dollars for Japan to recover.
