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Recovery and reconstruction works for the 2011 Tohoku earthquake have reached a successful conclusion

Countries
Japan
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Taiwan Red Cross
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Nine years have passed since the occurrence of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan. Taiwan Red Cross (TRC) has been continuing the recovery and reconstruction works for the areas heavily-hit by the strong earthquake and tsunami. According to the 29th Progress Report delivered by Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS), the construction of 656 public housing units in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture was completed in November 2019. The six large reconstruction hardware and related software efforts by TRC in the three heavily-hit areas of Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate have reached a successful conclusion as Otsuchi celebrated its 130th anniversary on 2 February 2020.

Of the 656 public housing units built after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, 463 units were supported by the fund contributed by TRC, and the remaining 193 units were supported and constructed by the government of Iwate Prefecture. Otsuchi is responsible for the management of the entire 656 public housing units. Otsuchi located in a remote area in the northeast part. They faced a huge financial difficulty after hit by the disaster. Therefore, TRC signed a memorandum of cooperation with JRCS, covering 85% of the reconstruction costs. A total of 656 public housing units was completed and ready for move in last November.

With a focus on the heavily-hit remote areas, the recovery project supports public reconstruction, include building public housing units for seniors, kindergartens, afterschool facilities, community hospital, and a community activity center that can be transformed into an emergency shelter in times of natural disaster or any other emergency.

TRC contributed 2.22 billion JPY towards the reconstruction of the project supported community hospital – Minamisanriku Town Hospital in Miyagi Prefecture. The reconstruction was completed on 15 November 2015. Minamisanriku Town Hospital is three stories high with an area of 7,300 square meter. The site was elevated to protect patients and staff from tsunami. Boasting 1 operating room and 11 clinics with 90 beds, the institution can service 50,000 outpatients and 31,000 inpatients each year. They have 9 departments, include Internal Medicine, Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Urology, Otorhinolaryngology, Dermatology, and Oral Surgery. The hospital is also equipped with advanced screening technology such as CT scanning machines.

TRC launched an emergency appeal for the 2011 Tohoku earthquake right after the disaster occurred. As of December 2019, the project raised donations, inclusive of interest, in the amount of NTD 2,577,784,675. Expenditures have amounted to NTD 2,577,311,441, making for a fund implementation rate of 99.98%.