Japan Ayukawa Project a Success!

'U.S. Air Force Academy cadets spend Spring Break digging running water drains for the small town of Ayukawahama.' 

This tidal wave rose over 133 feet at certain heights -- that's taller than a 12-story building.

The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011 devastated the northeastern coast of Japan's main island Honshu with 9.0 magnitude.  There are currently 15,854 reported deaths.  

While we were in Ayukawa-hama, or Ayukawa Coast, we had the opportunity to meet several amazing locals, who changed our lives as we tried to help theirs.  Akira, or "Sunny," is one of the local leaders in Ayukawa.  Our first day, he took us into a side room and showed us before and after photos of the town and the tsunami.  Emotions ran high and eyes welled as we gained a special connection to their community in that moment.  That connection translated to love and compassion as we worked our hardest to help the town of Ayukawa for the next 6 days.

The Oshika Peninsula. The "A" denotes the town of Ayukawa.

On March 11, 2011, approximately 4,000 people were swallowed by the tsunami along the Oshika Peninsula's coast.  Oshika Peninsula is Japan's closest point to the epicenter of the earthquake.  Ayukawa lost 12.4% of its 1,407 residential population that day. 

By Day 6 of working with Ayukawa's local leaders, CIAO cadets had cleared over 13 tons of sludge and debris from the town's water drains.

CIAO received financial support from our willing sponsor, "Mormon Helping Hands."  "Mormon Helping Hands" funded all of our in-country expenses from train travel fares to lodging and sustenance.  CIAO cadets paid from their own pockets to travel to Japan and back on commercial flights.

The list of our efforts the past 11 days:

1. 13.25 tons of debris and sludge moved from the Kyubun Coast
2. 392 meters of water drains cleared 
3. Cleared drain system for roadways in town for Ayukawa's 1,233 residents 
4. Cleared running water drains for the roughly 150 residents of the Kyubun Coast 
5. 363 total hours of labor

"What we accomplished in Japan pales in comparison to current large-scale relief efforts; however, our efforts have brought us closer to the people of Ayukawa and brought a greater sense of humility to members of the United States Air Force."

                                                                                 ~ Ethan Salgado, Chief of Public Affairs, CIAO  

Special Thanks

We would like to give a special thanks to Abe, Endo, Akira, Bruce & Sandra Webster, families of United States Forces Japan (USFJ), Nathan Frost, Lt Colonel Chris Gough, Major Jason Kirkland, Pres and Sis Siebach of the Tokyo South Stake, Pres and Sis Albrecht of the Japan Tokyo Mission, Elder Grames of the Presiding Bishopric's Office, our families and friends, and everyone that supported us to make this whole project possible.