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CMAT reflects on the decade since the Tsunami

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Tsunami devastation - Police vehicle badly damaged sits in Meuloboh street (January, 2005).

Tsunami devastation – Police vehicle badly damaged sits in Meuloboh street (January, 2005).

CMAT team are briefed by Canadian High Commission staff Rachael Bedlington (January, 2005)

CMAT team are briefed by Canadian High Commission staff Rachael Bedlington (January, 2005)

 

 

10 years ago today, many of us woke to news of a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that swept the Indian Ocean, taking with it 230,000 lives, and affecting 14 nations. The response to this disaster was unprecedented, and gave rise to a new culture of international humanitarianism. The grassroots of Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT) were established on the ground in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and in 2015, our 10th anniversary year, we remember and honour all those affected by disaster who paid the ultimate price; and celebrate with those whose lives we helped to save.

Join us in recognizing our 10th anniversary, as we open our year-long commemoration. Helping the world, in times of disaster!

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami – Six Months On….

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Our fantastic Japanese in-country volunteers!!! — L-R Rear: Yasushi Sato, Motoaki Ishii, Sosha Smith, Valerie Rzepka, L-R Front: Umi-San, Kana Kobori, and Seiko Watanabe.

Our fantastic Japanese in-country volunteers!!! — L-R Rear: Yasushi Sato, Motoaki Ishii, Sosha Smith, Valerie Rzepka, L-R Front: Umi-San, Kana Kobori, and Seiko Watanabe.

Sunday, September 11, 2011 – Six months ago, on March 11, 2011 a massive earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan. The earthquake and tsunami that followed caused the death of at least 24,000 people and set off a nuclear crisis which was as confusing as it was frightening. Four months later, CMAT Chair Valerie Rzepka, and CMAT Volunteer Seiko Watanabe returned to Japan to retrieve CMAT equipment which will no longer be needed, and to acknowledge and thank CMAT’s Japanese in-country volunteers. Here are their impressions:

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Through generous donors, CMAT is helping to provide purified drinking water in Japan.

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A curious little guy makes a close inspection of the new equipment.

A curious little guy makes a close inspection of the new equipment.

Friday, April 1, 2011 – Kitakamicho Aikawa, Japan: Together with local authorities in Japan, CMAT team members successfully installed a Nomad water purification unit in the small fishing village.

The purchase of this portable water purification system manufactured by Noah Water Systems was made possible through the generous support of our donors, especially the Lotus Light Charity Society from Vancouver. The unit is capable of producing 25 gallons / 95 litres per minute or 36,000 gallons / 136,800 liters per day. The Nomad will satisfy the need for large volumes of safe drinking water using any fresh water source: well, lake, river, stream, and pond and even polluted floodwaters.
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CMAT providing clean drinking water for a community destroyed in the tsunami

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CMAT paramedic Martin Metz and OT Seiko Watanabe install a Nomad water purification system in the town of Aikawa Kitakamicho.

CMAT paramedic Martin Metz and OT Seiko Watanabe install a Nomad water purification system in the town of Aikawa Kitakamicho.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 – Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan- The CMAT Medical Team continues to work in the communities surrounding Ishinomaki, and is slowing winding up its operations in Japan.  While visiting evacuation centres in several small villages along the coast, team members provided first aid and some primary medical care to the evacuees. Many of the patients that the team saw were elderly, and had chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Meanwhile, other members of the team were awaiting delivery of the Nomad water purification unit. The purchase of this portable water purification system manufactured by Noah Water Systems was made possible through the generous support of our donors, especially the Lotus Light Charity Society from Vancouver. The unit is capable of producing 25 gallons / 95 litres per minute or 36,000 gallons / 136,800 liters per day. The Nomad will satisfy the need for large volumes of safe drinking water using any fresh water source: well, lake, river, stream, and pond and even polluted floodwaters.