In the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Japan's Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day 2024, Tzu Chi volunteers in Japan have initiated relief to provide support to the region. On January 13, Tzu Chi volunteers in Japan began providing hot meals in the severely affected town of Asamizu in Noto Peninsula.

Over the next two weeks, three teams of volunteers will work in a relay to provide hot meals. To make this possible, Tzu Chi has received generous assistance from local benefactors. In acknowledgement of the work being done by Tzu Chi, the mayor of Nakanoto has generously offered accommodation to volunteers as a base for emergency meal distribution.

On January 12, the administrative director of Tzu Chi Japan, Chen Si Dao (陳思道) explained: "Two of our disaster assessment volunteers who visited Anamizu to assess the situation in the evacuation centers observed a severe shortage of manpower to cook hot meals for the survivors. Therefore, on January 13th, we will start our efforts by preparing lunch for 300 people at the evacuation center. Given the substantial demand for hot meals in various areas, we plan to collaborate with other organizations. Beyond cooking at the evacuation centers, once we are more familiar with the environment, we intend to expand our operations, ensuring that assistance reaches not only evacuation centers but also remote areas facing difficulties in accessing essential resources.”

In times of disaster, the collaborative efforts of compassionate people shine as a testament to the beauty of human kindness.

Story by documentation volunteers in Japan.