The first American known to have died from the recent natural disasters in Japan has been identified. Taylor Anderson, a 24-year-old teacher from Richmond, Virginia, is mourned by family back home.

“She was last seen after the powerful earthquake struck Japan on March 11, riding her bike away from the school where she taught after helping to get her students home. . . . ‘It is with deep regret that we inform you that earlier this morning we received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Japan that they had found our beloved Taylor’s body,’ the Anderson family wrote in a statement. ‘We would like to thank all those (whose)  prayers and support have carried us through this crisis.  Please continue to pray for all who remain missing and for the people of Japan.'”

Devastating tsunamis triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, in northern Japan on March 11,  caused great destruction, as did the earthquake itself. In addition, a nuclear power plant was disabled and leaking radiation.

(The Wall Street Journal – Oct 29, 2010) JAKARTA—The combined death toll from a tsunami and volcanic eruptions in Indonesia climbed to 449, as aid workers shifted their focus to prevent outbreaks of disease among survivors of the twin disasters earlier this week.

. . .  there were still some areas where aid wasn’t getting through because of shortages of boats or inadequate or damaged infrastructure, raising fears of possible outbreaks of malaria and other diseases.