South Korean rescue workers have launched search operations in Japan to assist the neighboring country as it attempts to deal with the aftermath of last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami.

The South Korean team is now working with Japanese police to find survivors in a district in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, which was one of the areas hit hardest by the 9.0-magnitude quake and resulting tsunami.

The 102-member South Korean rescue team arrived in Japan on Monday. Based in Miyagi Prefecture, it began its mission on Tuesday by joining a South Korean team of five rescue workers and two search dogs that arrived earlier.