Japan (MNN) — Rescue efforts in
Japan's earthquake have been hampered by severe aftershocks and the threat of
floods.
Efforts are being made to drain
lakes formed by the recent earthquake. There are concerns that landslides may create a situation where towns
downstream could be flooded if the waters burst their banks.
International Mission Board missionaries
serving in Japan are asking for prayer for the victims in the wake of
Saturday's 7.2-magnitude temblor. It
killed at least 11 people and injured more than 250 others.
The quake also buckled roads and
collapsed one bridge. This
complicated efforts to reach some of the most-affected sites.
Aftershocks were also a major
concern to the rescue teams, and officials warned of the possibility of more
landslides and flooding.
Despite the damages, authorities
acknowledge it could have been far worse. The death toll from the quake was kept low because it hit the rural
areas.
No IMB personnel were
harmed. The couple serving in Japan live
in Miyagi-ken, a city about 50 miles from the earthquake's epicenter in Japan's
mountainous Iwate prefecture. Their ministry has not been interrupted.
