Update on Cat Island, Japan: Good News!
Ingrid King received this comment on her “The Conscious Cat” blog regarding the fate of feline and elderly residents of Cat Island (Tashirojima) after the earthquake and tsunami:
I have a friend in Japan who managed to get in touch with people who knew about Tashirojima – people and cats are said to be okay, but there was a lot of building damage and they need bare necessities for humans and cat food… The Japanese organizations said they couldn’t help at the moment (my friend was very frustrated) and he’s checking for some other foreign organisations which maybe could help. He also found out that a Japanese defence forces’ helicopter landed there this afternoon. So that’s hopeful. Lots of volunteers are going to be needed there to help rebuild the island.
blogs.catster.com
Updates:
[Latest Update 3/23]: Japanese media reported that disaster relief has arrived in Tashirojima (Cat Island).
In the morning of March 22nd, ASDF helicopters landed on a remoteisland, Tashirojima, which air route, only way to access other places, was cut off after the earth quake. In Tashirojima, 80 % of the total population, 73 people, are older than 65 years. After about 1 week after the quake, emergency supplies started to arrive in the island. On 22nd, 800 kilo-litters of gasoline and kerosene, food for 100 meals were delivered along with satellite phones that will enable the residents to communicate with hospitals to ask help for acute sickness/injuries. SDF personnel says that relief teams are usually supposed to be able to reach all parts of affected area within acouple of days after disasters. Emergency materials finally started toget across affected areas. On Tashirojima island, younger residents of the island, although they are already in early 50s, carried and distributed the aid supplies with SDF.
[Update 3/22]:
Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support stated the following on their Facebook page:
“I just got through to a representative at an NPO called Hiyokkori Hyoutan Tashirojima on the land phone, and ‘everybody, humans and animals, is safe.’ He said that it is the areas in Ishinomaki that need more help now! Food, water, everything is sufficiently supplied. It is the electricity that is still needed on the island. The kitties are all safe. With the kind of purity and reverence the residents have for our beautiful feline friends, the cats are being well taken care of by these beautiful people. I am so happy! This is direct from someone on the island. Safety confirmed!” on the land phone, and ‘everybody, humans and animals, is safe.’ He said that it is the areas in Ishinomaki that need more help now! Food, water, everything is sufficiently supplied. It is the electricity that is still needed on the island. The kitties are all safe. With the kind of purity and reverence the residents have for our beautiful feline friends, the cats are being well taken care of by these beautiful people. I am so happy! This is direct from someone on the island. Safety confirmed!”
[update 3/14]: the cats and people are doing ok. Many shelters have started their relief effort in the hardest hit areas...
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