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Since July 3, a seasonal rain front remained stationary for nearly two weeks over Japan and the ensuing torrential rain left a trail of destruction. The record-level rain hit the Kyushu region reaching a total of 1,000 mm of precipitation and over 2,000 people in Kumamoto and the surrounding areas are still evacuated (as of July 22).

Removing mud from flooded homes and farm land requires a lot of manpower. However, due to COVID-19, fewer volunteers are available. Psychosocial care for evacuees has also been inadequate.

Civic Force's joint emergency assistance team, ARROWS (Airborne Rescue and Relief Operations With Search), began emergency assistance activities on July 4. ARROWS rescued residents from isolated areas,assisted with evacuation center management, and provided medical assistance. Civic Force is currently working with disaster volunteer centers in Kumamoto and Saga Prefectures and delivering relief items needed by the victims.

Relief needs are fluid and change daily – varying levels of damage and personal factors affect them, too. Civic Force first provided infection prevention items such as masks, non-contact thermometers, and disinfectants as well as underwear, towels, and bedding sets for evacuees who could not bring personal items from home. Once road repairs began and volunteers started coming in, Civic Force procured tarpaulins, drinks, and other useful supplies for removing mud. At evacuation centers, the windows are open for improved ventilation and mosquito coils became essential. Currently, Civic Force is leasing fans to evacuation centers to ease the summer heat.

Relief items are mostly stored at a warehouse managed by a partner organization, A-PAD Japan, before delivery to the affected areas. These distributions were made possible through our generous donors, corporate partners, and the Social Emergency Management Alliance (SEMA). On July 21, Civic Force delivered charity t-shirts donated by a clothing company to an evacuation center in Hitoyoshi. The donations were met with cheers of thanks.

As a preventive measure to COVID-19, some affected prefectures have decided not to accept volunteers from outside of their areas to aid in recovery efforts. From the outset, Civic Force visited evacuation centers and built trusting relationships with various stakeholders. During our assistance activities, Civic Force follows infection prevention measures and continues responding to the changing needs of the affected people.

Thank you for your continuous support.

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