Image source: Kyodo via The Japan Times Online

News from the Tenrikyo Japanese website:

On May 6, the last day of the Golden Week holiday, tornadoes struck three areas in Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures.

A tornado striking Tsukuba City in Ibaraki caused great damage, closing roads, cutting off electricity and water, killing one person, injuring 40, and damaging over 1,300 buildings.

In response to a request from the Osuna District of Tsukuba City, the Ibaraki Diocese Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps (DRHC) immediately contacted DRHC HQ in Tenri. DRHC HQ Director Yuichi Tanaka went to the scene, set up camp, and made the decision to dispatch a unit comprised of members from nearby dioceses.

On May 14, a unit comprised of members of DRHC HQ, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, and Tochigi dioceses was dispatched to the scene. A total of 191 members assisted in the recovery work underway in rice fields and orchards over three days.

• Japanese article: 災救隊 竜巻被害の地へ出動(5月16日記)
• Other links: The Japan Times Online: “Tornado wreaks havoc in Ibaraki, Tochigi”; Japan Probe: “Amateur Videos of the Deadly Tornado That Hit Tsukuba City”

Tags: disaster relief, Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps, jp-en, translation