In September, rains from Typhoon No. 18 (Severe Tropical Storm Etau) caused flooding in Joso City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Members of the Tenrikyo Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps were recently dispatched to help with recovery efforts.

Translation of the video narration:

Between September 16 and 19, the Tenrikyo Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps (DRHC) were dispatched to Ibaraki Prefecture, which was affected by heavy rains that struck the Kanto and Tohoku regions.

In Ibaraki Prefecture on September 10, a low pressure change from Typhoon No. 18 triggered record rainfall and the embankment of the Kinugawa River, which runs through the prefecture, collapsed as a result. This flooded a third of Joso City, inundating and causing extensive damage to over 12,000 homes.

By the request of Joso City, the DHRC went to all the four schools in the area that were inundated above floor level and took part in the recovery effort.

The first unit—comprising of members from Church Headquarters as well as Ibaraki, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Fukushima, Niigata, Saitama, and Tochigi dioceses—rushed to the scene to remove rainwater that had collected in the basements and to clean and sanitize classrooms so school could resume early.

Superintendent Yamaguchi (Joso City Board of Education): “Usually, after you request for assistance, it takes a long time before it arrives. But the response was prompt and quick so our school is very thankful.”

At Ono Elementary School, one of the four schools the DRHC were dispatched to, corps members carried out school furnishings and teaching materials damaged by floodwaters from school buildings that were declared off-limits until moments before.

The next unit comprising of members from Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Chiba, and Yamanashi dioceses are scheduled to be dispatched until September 23.

Article source

• 災救隊　記録的豪雨の被災地へ9月16日

Further reading

• Japan floods: City of Joso hit by ‘unprecedented’ rain

Tags: disaster relief, Disaster Relief Hinokishin Corps, Doyusha video, jp-en, Youtube