This is a disaster relief update from Pastor Yoshiya Kondo in Morioka city, Iwate, in northern Japan.
In 2005, Taro district was merged into Miyako city. The district was protected by a 10m (32.8ft) high storm surge barrier that ran 2.4km (1.5 mile) along the coast line. It took over 40 years to build it. But what happened to this protected district on that day was….
I parked my car on the highway that penetrates the town from north to south, and looked to the ocean with the mountains on my back. What I saw was the pride of the town, the storm surge barrier. But, nothing else. Not even rubbles of destroyed houses. According to yesterday’s news, on March 11th, the tsunami that hit this town supposedly reached 39m (128ft). The wave that easily overwhelmed the storm surge barrier that people took pride in swallowed up, destroyed, and swept away the buildings, cars, and people. And what is left is a flat wasteland.
The people at the Taro district general office wore an anguished expression. The small town is isolated among the mountains and still has no life line. Even though they know that people are not getting enough relief goods including food and are worried for them, there’s not enough manpower to visit them all. I shared in their concerns and burdens, and will start working in this district starting tomorrow, with a help of Hokumin (Hokkaido Christian Mission Network) team that came to Iwate today.