A mental health trauma response to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

摘要

At approximately 3.46 PM local time on Friday March 11, 2011, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and 10-m-high ocean shock wave, or tsunami, destroyed everything in its path as it surged into cities and villages along the Japanese northern coast. The tsunami tossed ships, cars, and buildings across land like bath toys. As we sit down to write this article within hours of the event, Japan is dealing with widespread devastation, with fires raging and parts of some cities underwater. The National Police Agency has said 1000 people are confirmed dead and more than 10000 are missing and feared dead from the small port town of Minamisanriku. Approximately 1200 people have been injured in the disaster4 and more than 200 bodies have been found in the northeast of the country. The death toll is nearing 900, but the figures do not include 500 bodies so far found in Miyagi Prefecture. Further complicating the situation is news that the operators of a nuclear plant already battling to contain a radiation leak say that the cooling system of another reactor is not working.5 Japanese officials have ordered anyone living within 20 km (12 miles) of the Fukushima nuclear power plant to evacuate the area. More than 215 000 people have fled their homes-many are in emergency shelters.