Along with police officers, firefighters and members of the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. armed forces, municipal workers are playing a vital role in helping and supporting people who have lost their property or family members in the March 11 massive earthquake and tsunami.
A significant number of these workers themselves have been directly affected by the disasters, losing their property, family members or colleagues. Many of the 35 municipal workers of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, 30 to 40 municipal workers of Minami Sanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, and 70 to 80 of some 300 municipal workers of Rikuzen Takada, Iwate Prefecture, went missing. The mayor of Otsuchi was confirmed dead.
In difficult conditions, municipal workers in northeastern Japan are doing such work as supplying food, water, blankets and other articles to evacuees, burying those killed by the disasters and restoring family and resident registries. Without their help, volunteers cannot work efficiently.