A major earthquake that rocked Japan last week left Dartmouth students with friends and family in Japan frantically calling home to see if everything was alright.
The quake, which caused more than 5,000 deaths, has left over 300,000 Japanese homeless and millions without utilities. It was the worst earthquake in Japan in more than 70 years.
Kenji Hosokawa '98, a resident of the Nada district in Kobe, was unable to reach his family for two days following the quake.
"I tried to call, but back then, the phone system was jammed," Hosokawa said. "The second day after I heard the news my mom called and told me things were okay."
Hosokawa said because his house is relatively new, it suffered little damage other than a collapsed wall.
"Most of the older [buildings] have completely collapsed," he said.
Hosokawa said his home has electricity but no water or gas.
Jun Tsutsumi '96 was unable to reach a friend's family in Kobe for a day and a half. When she finally did, she learned her friend and family had no idea of the quake's magnitude.
"Initially, they hadn't realized it was bad at all," she said. "My friend just thought it was a bad dream."
Dartmouth Japan Society President Lisa O'Brien '97 has organized a fund-raising booth for earthquake victims.
The booth, which was set up in Thayer Dining Hall during the weekend and the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts yesterday and today, accepts checks or cash.
O'Brien said the effort has raised $1,596 by Tuesday -- including one check for $200.
When the idea for a fund drive originally began, O'Brien said she hoped the group could gather enough money to help one family.
"I can't believe how much we're making," she said.
The money will be donated to AmeriCares, a Connecticut-based charitable organization that sends relief supplies to disaster areas.
AmeriCares has already sent a plane stocked with supplies like blankets and soup to Japan and plans to send another later this week, O'Brien said.
Judith Mackenzie, the director of the International Office, obtained a preliminary list of casualties from the Japanese embassy.
She said "about a dozen" people have come by to look at the list, but the situation is now less urgent than it was just after the quake.
"I think by now most people have been able to contact, at least indirectly, their immediate family," she said.
The embassy has created a hotline for those wishing to find out information, Mackenzie said, because the list of casualties has grown to more than 80-pages long.
"I couldn't believe how generous some people are," she said.
The Dartmouth Japan Society is part of the East Coast Japan-America League, according to O'Brien.
As a result of the Dartmouth fund-raiser, student groups at Yale University and Wesleyan University are planning to raise money as well, she said.
