Preparing for and Responding to Large Scale Disasters in High Income Countries - Findings and Lessons Learned from the Japanese Red Cross Society's Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Over recent years, increasing numbers of people are being affected by the disasters in high income countries. The continued growth in population, increasing urbanisation and the changing and more violent weather patterns associated with climate change all contribute to this trend. Many high income countries are finding they have a more vulnerable population as the demography changes and elderly people become an increasing percentage of their population.

No country can fully protect itself against the forces of nature. The magnitude 9 earthquake off the coast of Japan on 11 March 2011 highlighted this by precipitating a catastrophic tsunami, devastating communities along a 700 km coastline in the north east of Honshu Island and striking the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant creating danger and widespread alarm as efforts were made to contain the damage.

With the considerable resources at its disposal, the authorities and people of Japan responded immediately to rescue and assist the survivors. Even so, nearly 20,000 people have been either killed or remain missing. The road ahead for the tens of thousands of people still displaced remains challenging.