YOGYAKARTA-Deputy Director of Urban Research Plaza, Dept. of Geography, Osaka City University, Japan, Toshio Mizuuchi, said the earthquake and tsunami disaster that struck Sendai has seriously destroyed people's houses. Thousands of people are now displaced and housed in some temporary houses and cheap apartments in the surrounding city. "We decided to open the rooms and houses for the refugees and the provision of other housing we have," said Mizuuchi in Seminar Urban Research Plaza (URP) in the Graduate School of UGM. The seminar was cooperation of UGM, Osaka University, and ISI Yogyakarta.
Previously, according to Mizuuchi, the institute has been working with various parties to assist the delivery of food, clothing and blankets to meet the needs of the IDPs. "We sent 11 tonnes each night by trucks that are sent to the City of Sendai," he said.
Furthermore, his party will help the recovery and rehabilitation phase to provide direct support for local communities whose property was damaged. This was being conducted despite currently a variety of assistance from international agencies and NGOs in Japan has been distributed. "We currently consider the second phase in providing relief measures as direct support to areas badly damaged by the tsunami," he said.
Especially for IDPs who lost their homes, his party gives serious attention. In addition to providing shelter for temporary residency, also consulting services. "Especially for IDPs who lost their homes," he added.
Mizuuchi continues to urge the public to accommodate and accept the homeless. Furthermore, temporary housing facilities will be immediately built. "Many of our members build temporary houses, trying to facilitate financial support through a national welfare policy by cooperating with related ministries," he said.
Assistance and international support, he argues, is very important to immediately restore the devastated condition of Sendai.