"The Indonesian embassy in Tokyo sent two evacuation teams to Miyagi and Iwate on Saturday , March 12, 2011, to assist Indonesian citizens in the disaster areas," the website said.
The rescue teams eached the Saitama region, about 70 kilometers from Tokyo, at 07.00 local time.
The website also said the teams met with many road blocks and hurdles on the routes to the disaster areas.
Meanwhile, the embassy`s post disaster task force had received a total of 173 calls from people in Indonesia inquiring about the condition of relatives residing in Japan.
The cold weather, limited food supplies, cut-off power, water and gas lines were making it more difficult for people to survive.
According to the website, volunteers were providing Indonesian evacuees with free meals.
The embassy website also recorded the numbers of Indonesians who had survived in Sendai and Ibarakai city shelters and could be reached on www.indonesianembassy.jp
The 8.9 earthquake rocked Eastern Japan and triggered a major tsunami that swept most of Japan`s mainland which set off a Tsunami alarm in most of the Pacific region.
According to Kyodo News Agency, the earthquake that occurred at 14.46 local time was recorded as the strongest quake after the magnitude 7.9 temblor in 1923 that rocked Tokyo and took 140,000 lives.
The Friday catastrophic earthquake has topped 1,200 casualties according to a police tally while hundreds are still missing after vast amounts of brown water torrent flooded the mainland carrying debris and swept ships from the sea. (*)
A050/HAJM/O001
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
