By Mr. Mitsuhiro Tateishi

Tokyo, Japan - In the evening of 14 April, an earthquake of intensity 7 struck Kumamoto Prefecture followed by more than 500 quakes continuing in different parts of the same Kyushu Island, located in south-west Japan, mainly in Kumamoto, Oita and Fukuoka Prefectures.

As of 18 April, 41 have died, more than 2000 have been taken to hospitals, and more than 200,000 are evacuated from their homes, taking shelter elsewhere.

There is fear of more disaster as Mt. Aso has erupted and threat of landslides heighten around the quake-stricken area.

All transportation facilities, roads, railways, airports, have been stricken, making it difficult to access the afflicted areas. The Self-defense Force, the Police, and the Fire and Ambulance Service from around the country have sent their forces to the disaster areas, working day and night to save lives.

The Salesian Family do not have houses in Kumamoto Prefecture, but have houses and works in the neighboring Oita, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Miyazaki and Kagoshima Prefectures.

At Beppu Church in Oita Prefecture, with the big earthquake late in the evening of the 16th, the statue of the Sacred Heart fell and the right hand broke off, while the top of the baptism font made of marble broke in half.

That evening, neighbors gathered to take shelter in the Church compound. The Pastor Fr. Puppo provided food and blankets to them. A great number of people stayed through the night in the playground of the Star of the Ocean Kindergarten adjacent to the Church.

From the Catholic Weekly Newspaper:

Bishop Miyahara of Fukuoka Diocese, which includes Kumamoto Prefecture, appealed for prayers and collection for those afflicted by the earthquake and also asked the facilities of the Church be opened for use to help those in need.

According to the secretariat of Fukuoka Diocese, there is no report of casualties among the faithful or major damage to church buildings and facilities as of morning of 15 April.

There has been damage in different churches where statues, tabernacles, or shelves have fallen, or cleavages appeared in the kindergarten playground.

The Catholic facilities in Kumamoto Prefecture are as follows: 14 Parishes, 3 itinerant churches, 9 houses of religious congregations or missionary societies, 3 schools, 2 hospitals, 1 nursing home for the elderly, 2 children’s welfare institutions, 9 kindergartens, 3 nurseries

Caritas Japan is also appealing for emergency collection.

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