Mercy Relief deploys relief team to typhoon-hit Japan, launches fundraising drive
SINGAPORE — An independent local disaster relief agency has deployed a disaster response team and launched a public fund-raising exercise to aid typhoon-hit Japan.
Mercy Relief said in a press release on Thursday (17 October) that the team left Singapore on the same day for Miyagi and Fukushima, where Typhoon Hagibis caused heavy damage.
The team will distribute hot meals to 7,000 people in affected communities in the two prefectures, focusing on areas with water outages.
“Mercy Relief is working very closely with its local partners to determine the pressing needs of the affected communities and the team will continue to monitor the situation,” it added.
The agency is also holding a public fundraising drive from Thursday to 16 November. Members of the public can make their donations via their website, credit card, crossed cheques and cash donations.
They can also contribute via Mercy Relief’s crowdfunding campaign for the cause.
Typhoon Hagibis hit northern and central Japan last weekend with historic rainfall that caused rivers to overflow and left thousands of homes flooded, damaged or without power. At least 77 people were killed, with nine missing and 346 injured.
Fukushima prefecture, struck by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters, was among the hardest-hit with at least 26 dead, the highest among the 36 of Japan's 47 affected prefectures.
On Wednesday, the country’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his government would offer 710 million yen ($8.9 million) to help areas affected by the storm.
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