Trauma, rebuilding issues after Japan quake-Red Cross

Dave Heybourne, a member of the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue team, prepares his gear at Misawa Naval Air Base in this U.S. Navy handout photo dated March 14, 2011.

LONDON (Reuters) - Global efforts to assist Japan after Friday's deadly quake should focus on longer-term concerns such as trauma counseling and helping people to rebuild, a senior international aid official said on Tuesday.

One of the world's richest nations and used to dealing with earthquakes, Japan was as well prepared as any nation could be to respond to such a crisis and has used the huge amount of help offered to bring in overseas experts.

So far search and rescue teams and medical units have been spearheading international aid efforts for Japan but hopes of finding more survivors are dwindling.

Patrick Fuller, of the Red Cross international humanitarian group, said overseas aid should now look to provide lasting benefits.

"People have lost so much, they have lost their homes, they have lost their relatives, so one of the focuses for us is going to be being able to give trauma counseling," he told the BBC from northern Japan.

"Stress is a major factor for the people in this kind of situation but also help with their longer-term recovery. They are going to need funding to help get back on their feet, to rebuild their homes."

Fuller said the situation around the coastal town of Otsuchi was desperate, with people scavenging for food and rescue teams trying to put out forest fires.

"I was up at one of the evacuation centers today where there were probably about 300 people just lying on the floor on sheets of cardboard, blankets, a lot of them elderly people," he said, adding that there were crowds milling around looking for lost relatives.

RADIATION FEARS

The earthquake that hit Japan on Friday was the fourth largest ever recorded and the country now faces a potential further catastrophe after a crippled nuclear plant sent low levels of radiation floating toward Tokyo.

The Japanese government has asked the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency to provide "expert missions" but details are still to be worked out.

The United States has deployed a specialist unit comprising disaster response and nuclear experts and urban search and rescue teams, including 12 sniffer dogs to help find survivors.

The U.S. embassy in Tokyo has provided an initial $100,000 in immediate disaster relief assistance. Offers of aid have come in from poorer nations too, with the southern Afghan city of Kandahar donating $50,000.

Several British charities have launched cash appeals and the Japanese branch of the Red Cross has been taking donations.

Australia, China, Britain, France and Germany have all sent teams to help try to dig out survivors.

Taiwan has sent its first batch of supplies, including clothing, blankets and food, and will start shipping heaters for those left homeless.

The International Red Cross is also hosting a website www.familylinks.icrc.org/ in several languages to try to help people contact missing friends and relatives.

(Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)