Dozens of residents on Russia's Pacific coast have volunteered to house some of the thousands of Japanese made homeless by a powerful earthquake and tsunami on Friday, a local NGO said.
Thousands were killed when an 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, sparking a tsunami and several powerful aftershocks.
"We sent an appeal to the Japanese government proposing that Japanese victims of the natural disaster be taken in to Russian families," Vladimir Ostapyuk, Chairman of the regional branch of the Russian Union of Afghan Veterans said.
A hotline was set up on Monday morning for residents to volunteer their homes. The organization has already found 50 host families.
On Sunday, the Russian emergencies ministry sent rescue aircraft and equipment to help search for the thousands of people still missing after Friday's disaster.
VLADIVOSTOK, March 14 (RIA Novosti)
