Tzu Chi emergency aid arrives in Japan to assist quake survivors

Taipei, Aug. 3 (CNA) Humanitarian aid from Taiwan's Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation arrived in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture on Monday to assist people displaced by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck the area last Tuesday.

As of Sunday, the temblor had killed 38 people, seriously injured 13 others, and displaced at least 8,556 people, the non-governmental humanitarian organization said in a statement released Monday.

The aid shipment, flown by China Airlines from Taoyuan to Fukuoka Airport on Saturday, includes 148 multifunctional folding beds and 40 partition tents from Tzu Chi's Jing Si product line, the foundation said.

To assess evolving needs on the ground, a 10-member group of volunteers from Taiwan and Japan assembled at Fukuoka Airport on Sunday, the foundation added, noting that the group brought two portable water purification units to address potential drinking water shortages in affected areas.

The foundation said the beds and tents were designed for use in disaster relief operations. Used together, they can provide people displaced by the earthquake with greater privacy and comfort.

"Elevating beds off the ground helps protect elderly residents from cold drafts and floor dampness, while partition tents provide essential personal space in crowded public facilities," it said.

According to Tzu Chi, the supplies were scheduled to be delivered to Yatsushiro City on Monday, with members of the foundation's Japan branch overseeing local logistics.

Tzu Chi said the folding beds were developed at the request of its founder, Master Cheng Yen (證嚴), after she witnessed the suffering of survivors of the 2010 Pakistan floods.

The partition tents were created after Taiwan's 2018 Hualien earthquake, when Tzu Chi volunteers witnessed survivors and emergency responders staying in temporary shelters without privacy, the foundation said.