Sendai, Japan, Mar 14, 2011 / 13:04 pm
The Catholic relief agency Caritas Japan has begun working to help untold numbers of people rebuild their lives, amid the devastation and continuing effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Nearly 2,000 people have already been confirmed dead as of March 14, victims of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and resulting 30 foot waves. Authorities are expecting the death toll to rise beyond 10,000.
The disaster also destabilized several nuclear power plants, one of which may have undergone a partial meltdown.
Caritas Japan is conducting a national donation campaign to provide aid to victims, particularly in the hardest-hit dioceses of Sapporo, Sendai, Saitama and Tokyo. Relief workers are still trying to establish contact with many areas where residents are lacking electricity, water, and sufficient food.