In response to anticipated damage from Typhoon Soudelor, expected to hit Taiwan Friday, Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) and its partner organization Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) dispatched on August 6 a 10-member relief team together with two rescue dogs.

This is the second A-PAD team to go to a potential disaster area to help with preparations for timely rescue responses. The first team went to the Philippines in December 2014 prior to Typhoon Hagupit.

Among those heading for Taiwan is rescue dog Yumenosuke, veteran of disaster responses in Hiroshima after the mudslide disaster of last August, the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Hagupit, and Nepal subsequent to the massive earthquake there April this year. Yumenosuke underwent training at the Center for rescue dogs of Peace Winds Japan in Hiroshima.