Japan's NU to maintain 24-hour emergency hotline

Tokyo, NU Online
As part of sympathy and deep concern over the Japan's 8.9 magnitude earthquake and the resulting tsunami on Friday (11/3) at 14.46LT, NU followers (Nahdliyin) in Japan held a joint prayer gathering. The religious gathering was held by the Japan's Special Branch Board of NU (PCINU) at Muhammad Aziz house in Odaiba, Tokyo.

In addition, the PCINU still keeping in touch with its individuals has also maintained a a 24-hour emergency hotline.<<>br />
"Hopefully, there were no Indonesian workers being the victim," Muhammad Aziz who is also chairman of the PCINU said, adding that the PCINU had set up hotline numbers and an e-mail address for those who would like to inquire about the conditions of Indonesians, including Nahdliyin in Japan.

The hotline numbers at the PCINU are 03-5520-6956 and 090-3739-7412 (mobile). Requests for information may also be sent through e-mail address [email protected].

According to Aziz, behind the Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami, there had been a lesson that could expectedly be taken by the government of Indonesia for having the same character as an earthquake and tsunami prone country.

"From this disaster, we can see and learn on how the Japanese government deals with and be ready in handing this disaster," he said.

While, the Indonesian government has offered disaster relief assistance to Japan following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

"As a friend of Japan, President Yudhoyono has instructed me to inform the Japanese government of our readiness to provide disaster relief assistance," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said here Saturday.

Marty also expressed condolences to the government and people of Japan on the disaster that happened on Friday (March 11) at 02.46 pm local time.

"In connection with the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, President Yudhoyono, the government and people of Indonesia again express our deepest condolences to Japan," Marty added.

The Indonesia government was also to send a team consisting of five officers from the Foreign Ministry on Saturday night to help the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo in caring for Indonesian citizens living in Japan, Marty said.

The team from the Foreign Ministry was tasked to help the embassy team in mitigating and protecting Indonesian citizens in Japan, especially those who lived in Miyagi and Iwate prefectures.

"Tonight, the Foreign Ministry will send a team to help the Indonesian Embassy there in protecting our citizens," he said.

Earlier, the Indonesian Embassy in Japan had sent a team to Sendai City to help Indonesian citizens who stayed near the epicenter of the earthquake that hit Japan on Friday. The team from the Indonesian Embassy who had gone ahead to Sendai has just arrived at a point 30 kilometers closer to Sendai City.

Meanwhile, a nuclear power plant in Fukushima exploded and released thick smoke at 4.00 pm of local time. The government of Japan had evacuated 11.000 people from Fukushima following the expansion of area which was affected by its radiation reaching 20 kilometers.

The Japan government also announced that blackout would be done in turns in relation to the explosion at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. (syf)