Samoa Red Cross has raised over 27,000 tala in response to the earthquake and tsunami that devastated north eastern Japan on 11 March 2011. The appeal was launched immediately after the disaster to assist the millions of people affected.
Over the last two weeks Red Cross staff and volunteers were active in the community collecting donations around Apia. The appeal has now closed and the money will be sent to Japanese Red Cross for the Society to utilise in their emergency response and recovery phase.
President of Samoa Red Cross, Faleao Maka Sapolu says, 'We are very grateful to the Samoan community for their generosity and for showing compassion towards the people affected in Japan. With this appeal launched so soon after the Christchurch earthquake appeal it is particularly touching to see the strong spirit of giving'.
In Japan, more than 9,000 have died. More than 12,000 are missing and more than 2,600 are injured. The scale of this disaster and damage is unprecedented.
Japanese Red Cross has mobilised all of its resources and staff nationally to respond to this disaster. The operations are focused on providing medical care with dozens of medical teams operating in Red Cross hospitals and mobile clinics.
With the assistance of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cross Crescent Societies and other National Societies, over 125,000 blankets and 20,000 emergency relief packs have been distributed.
Relief operations have also been scaled up to meet the needs of the thousands of survivors in evacuation centres. Red Cross is working with local authorities in the provision of hot showers and basic sanitation. Personal support is also being offered to those hit by the disaster.
Samoa Red Cross has also supported the international team in the emergency response by helping connect family and friends who have become separated by the disaster.