On March 11, Japan’s most powerful earthquake in recorded history shook the Tohoku region in northeast Japan. The unprecedented death and destruction was not wrought by the 9.0-magnitude quake however, but by the tsunami that followed. Today, eight months later, the challenges facing the devastated Tohoku coast are still formidable.
Facing the Coast
All along the 600 km (373 miles) of affected coastline are waterlogged ghost towns of shredded buildings in various stages of cleanup. The rushing water consumed entire first stories, leaving houses looking as if they were built on stilts. But no house can be torn down until the owner or a surviving family member submits the paper work. They must also be present for the demolition, which can be difficult if their temporary housing is far away and they don’t have the means to travel.
