Earthquakes and Tsunami Strike Japan

Update: Since a lot of people are coming to my blog looking for a list of mangaka and other industry members affected by the quake, here is ANN’s list of anime/manga industry and other celebrities who are safe. While it’s true that broadcasts, publications and other media will be put on hold while the country is dealing with the aftermath, please don’t spread rumors that anyone is dead unless you have heard it from MULTIPLE, REPUTABLE SOURCES. Thanks.

Last night in California, we heard news of the horrible earthquake felt all over Japan and tsunami that followed just before bedtime. Most Americans were already asleep, but my boyfriend and I stayed up to watch footage of the tsunami ravaging Sendai on various channels. It was difficult to go to head to bed afterward, even once we knew that friends in Japan were safe and sound.

But for many people living in Japan right now, they no longer have a place to sleep. They need our help right now and while the Japanese government has been quick to respond and give aid, this is not a situation that one country can handle on its own. In addition to multiple quakes, aftershocks and tsunami, there have been building collapses, landslides, major fires and even pressurization problems at a nuclear reactor.

Here are some links to charitable organizations giving supplies & money directly to Japan. I asked Twitter for smaller organizations that will be sending money or supplies directly to Japan as I’m mistrustful of large organizations like the Red Cross. (Long story short, my mom used to work for a number of large non-profit organizations and knows they don’t give all of your money towards the charitable causes they claim to.)

ShelterBox– It takes $1000 to send a whole ShelterBox, which is customized to fit the needs of disaster areas, but smaller donations are welcome and they will send you information on where your donation money (and the ShelterBox it helped sponsor) has gone.

GlobalGiving– This organization is sending money to various organizations already on the ground in disaster-affected areas. All About Manga reader, Lys tells me that they tell you how much of your money goes to admin costs, that you can add another 15% to your donation to cover those costs and they also let you know where your money is going.

Mari Kurisato has a good list of news resources on her site.

If you know of any other charitable organizations, preferably ones that asking for supplies or money donated towards supplies, send them my way and I’ll post them here.

Please pray for Japan, no matter what your religious beliefs, right now. New earthquakes and tsunami warnings are popping up every few minutes at this point. The struggle they are facing is not over yet.