"Japan's prime minister says the country is facing its most severe challenge since World War II.
Charles Pribyl is a college professor currently living in Japan. He's been living in Funibashe, a city just east of Tokyo, for 23 years. The problem now is that they announced the rolling blackout that will be for about one month, and depending on where you live it, could be up to 3 three hours," Pribyl said.
He also says they were just told their water is unsafe to drink.
"They're trying to find the source of the contamination, but for now, they're saying drink bottled water," he said.
Pribyl says that, in itself, could be a problem. He says food, water and gas were already hard to find.
"Right now, all of the convenience stores are closed because they ran out food, because people are hoarding food now. And the gas station I usually go to is closed because they are out of gas," he said.
He says in most of the country, the shaking created by aftershocks has yet to subside.
"We are still having earthquakes about every 20-30 minutes now, and they're ranging in magnitude between 3 and 6," Pribyl said.
The devastation is really starting to set it according to Pribyl.
"Most people are still in shock. They never thought it would really happen," he said. sourceThere have been over 300 aftershocks, one being over 7.0.
This is from the conference there:
Japan Union Conference
International Ministries Department
Japan Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Address :
846 Kamikawai-cho, Asahi-ku
Yokohama, 241-8501
Japan
Phone: 045-921-1121
(from overseas 81-45-921-1121)
FAX: 045-921-2319
(from overseas 81-45-921-2319)
Japan Union Conference update on earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011.
Today's date: March 14, 2011
We are very thankful for the many words of encouragement received from both brethren and sisters throughout World. March 11 was a shocking day for Japan and the world. We are so very thankful to God that not one Seventh-day Adventist life has been lost so far.
We have been in the process of assessing the damages to our churches and schools in the disaster area. Two schools and 3-4 churches will need assistance with repairs to their buildings. Thank you very much for your prayers, many emails and telephone calls from all over the world showing great love and concern for the Japanese community and our Adventistchurches and schools. ADRA Japan, a department in Japan Union Conference cooperates in that ADRA Japan serves the whole community and interfaces with the government and other NPOs. ADRA Japan is under the umbrella of Japan Union Conference which takes responsibility for the care of the Seventh-Day Adventist's churches and school's needs. Separate from ADRA Japan, Japan Union Conference is earnestly requesting funds for our churches and schools that have been damaged in the earthquake.
As it is not safe to dispatch repair teams into the area yet, we are at the moment accepting funds towards helping to repair church and school structures. Volunteers will be requested to help once it is safe to enter the areas. Our junior high school's chapel roof fell in, another school is damaged and 3 or possibly more churches have received damage. We dearly need to help these people to rebuild their school and church homes. It was school break and right after graduation for the junior high so we are praising God that no children were injured. Water and electricity is a common need shared with the Non-Adventist community in these areas.
YOU CAN HELP by sending your donation to Japan Union Conference.
Please make your checks out to the following:
General Conference of SDA
Japan Union Conference
Please send your checks to the following address in Japan:
Japan Union Conference of SDA
846 Kamikawai-cho, Asahi-ku,
Yokohama-shi, Japan 241-8501