UPDATE: Following up on our report from this morning, the 30 students figure provided to us earlier was inaccurate; that figure is for currently enrolled undergraduates from Japan who are at Stony Brook, not Stony Brook students who are in Japan.
“We have 5 exchange students in Japan, they’ve all been accounted for, they’re all ok,” said William Arens, the Dean of the International Academic Programs at Stony Brook University.
An additional student from the University of Albany who was scheduled to participate in the Stony Brook University-run program in Japan is still not accounted for, but Arens said that the UA student was probably not in harms way.
“We don’t think he’s in Japan,” he said. “The semester hasn’t started yet for him.”
EARLIER: The approximately 30 students who are participating in a Stony Brook University study abroad program in Japan are all safe, according to a representative in the office of international programming.
Last night a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, causing a tsunami that has swept away whole villages. The death toll has been climbing throughout the day, with an estimated 100 casualties so far.
“We have been in contact with all of our students, everyone is doing fine, everyone is accounted for,” said the individual, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the department.
According to the individual, about 30 students are currently participating in Stony Brook’s program in Japan. About half of those students are enrolled at Stony Brook University, with the remaining 15 or so from a handful of other colleges.
This is a breaking news story. Updates throughout the day.
