Hitomi Abe is among a group of Japanese exchange students from Miyagi University of Education who are enrolled at CQUniversity Rockhampton, thanks to an Australian Government tsunami relief fund.

She was working in a bookshop when news came of the tsunami so she and her co-workers fled to the roof of their building. That's where they were trapped for the next three days.

LINK to Japanese students from tsunami zone enjoy chance to visit Rockhampton region

L-R Moe, Miki, Hitomi and Kanna explore Rockhampton Campus

Hitomi's group were thirsty and hungry so some of the men made rafts and went to look for water and food. Eventually boats came to save everyone, but it took many more weeks before water was available for washing and electricity was switched back on.

Moe Konno experienced the frightening earthquake but was studying in an area away from the tsunami wave. Communications went down, stalling updates about who was spared, and the disruption meant it was a full month before she could return to her family home.

Miki Yoshimura was lucky to live in a house away from the seafront but water for washing became scarce and communications were down. Some of her friends lost relatives in the disaster.

Meantime, Kanna Suzuki was in hospital recovering from an operation when the earthquake cut electricity and communications.

"After more than a week I got to see the disaster on TV and I cried. We were not able to access water to have a shower for a week," she said.

The Japanese exchange students have studied at the English Language Centre on campus and are now enrolled in a variety of programs, including literature, Japanese culture, learning management and outdoor pursuits (aquatics).

Japanese students now enrolled at CQUniversity  
LINK for a larger image of the tsunami 
Visiting the lookout at Great Keppel Island