On the 11th, at around 2:46pm, a huge 8.8 magnitude earthquake, the largest observed in Japan's history, struck the Pacific coast of North Eastern Japan, and sent a severe earthquake that registered just over 6 on the Japanese seismic scale to Funato. The Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning to prefectures on the Pacific coast including Iwate. A giant tsunami resulting from the earthquake flooded into the Sanriku coast 30min later, and Rikuzen Takata and Ofunato received an annihilating blow. As of 6pm on the 12th, more than 200 were confirmed dead. In Rikuzen Takata, a number of people's whereabouts is also unknown. Power, water and telephone services to the Kesen area do not appear to be returning any time soon, aftershocks are continuing intermittently, and the residents' weariness and uneasiness has reached its peak.
According to the Meteorology Agency, the earthquake's epicenter originated 120km east-southeast of the Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi prefecture. The M8.8 used to indicate the scale of the earthquake is the biggest Japan has experienced since the Meiji period, when earthquake observation began.
The Meteorological Agency officially announced a large-scale tsunami warning to the Pacific coast that day, at 2:50pm, after the huge earthquake hit. This is the second time Iwate has been issued such a warning since the Chile earthquake and tsunami in February of last year.
From the earthquake's effect, a large tsunami attacked the Kesen coast. Even the breakwater in the entrance to the bay at Ofunato collapsed from the force of the tsunami. The wave flooded in and out numerous times, and fishing ports and buildings were washed away in a muddy stream.
A 10m wave raged the bay, narrowing the typography. In Rikuzen Takata, almost all of the areas along the coast were submerged under water and are now completely destroyed. Many of the townspeople who were late to evacuate were swept up in the tsunami.
Tremors continued frequently, and the number of buildings that washed away and the human loss is enormous. Today, as of 2pm, the 174 people in Ofunato and the 28 people in Rikuzen Takata, together make a total of
202
confirmed dead. The number of missing continues to rise around Rikuzen Takata, where most of the houses have been filled with dirt and sand.
Those who made it to higher ground could only stare, dumbfounded, upon the nightmarish sight that was unfolding before their eyes. Even the helicopter crew on the top of a building rooftop could only watch. On the 12th, the Japanese Self-Defense Force set out and hurried the restoration of the roads. The rescue team from the neighboring prefecture, the Sumita fire brigade and others came to give their support.
After the earthquake it became difficult to get phone connection, and there are still many people trying to confirm the safety of family and friends. The large-scale tsunami warning was changed to just a tsunami warning at 8:20pm that day, but the many townspeople who had made their way to the evacuation shelters spent an uneasy second day.
According to the city of Ofunato, as of 4:30pm on the 12th, the city's death toll is at 174 people.
Those whose identity has been confirmed include Maruko Konno (from Takkon-cho), Ko Honda (Ofunato-cho), Haruyo Honda (Ofunato-cho) and Sachiko Sugawara (Matsusaki-cho).
Amongst those confirmed dead at Ofunato Hospital, and taken to Takkon- cho’s Anyouji Temple are Genzo Sato (Ofunato-cho), Toyoko Sasaki ( Sanriku-cho Ryouri), Morio Suzuki (Sanriku-cho Okirai), Takae Niinuma (
Ofunato-cho) and Morihei Ueki (hometown unknown).
The death toll at Matsusaki is 9, Ofunato 7, Akasaki 36, Takonoura 5, Sakari 4, Takkon 1, Okirai 100, Ryouri 2, Yoshihama 3, and 7 whose hometown is unknown.
The missing include 1 from Matsusaki, 10 from Ofunato, 10 from Akasaki,
5 from Takonura, 100 from Okirai, 19 from Ryouri and 3 from Yoshihama.
2556 houses within the city have been at least half destroyed, and there is the possibility that this number will rise. The number of houses partially damaged or flooded is unknown.
The safety of one child in Ofunato, and 7 in Akasaki is unknown. The safety of 33 students throughout Ofunato still cannot be confirmed.
Young students from all the city’s elementary and junior high schools will wait at home until the 14th.
The Social Welfare Foundation are confirming the safety of all those that make use of their Special Nursing Home for the Aged and Group Home 'Himawari', the Kesen Day Service Center, Akasaki Day Service Center, Multifunctional Small Group Home 'Hei', Group Home and Multifunctional Small Group Home 'Nochi no Iri'.
A total of 6768 people are taking refuge at the 52 evacuation shelters in the city, including tourist sheltering at the Sanjukari Community Center in Matsusaki, and passengers from a tour bus sheltering at Goishi Community Center.
At these facilities, rice balls and water are being distributed, but they are still unable to provide cooked meals. During the day, at the fire fighting facility they are providing cooked meals, and in Takkon and Inokawa Elementary Schools boiled rice is being made available, and they are trying hard to give handouts several times a day.
At the town hall, baby formula and disposable diapers are being distributed to those who require them on the 13th. If there are donations from businesses and groups, they are trying to hand them out during the breaksfast, lunch and dinner time slots. Cooperatives in the town hall will also be operating during the daytime on the same day.
On the 12th, close to 600 troops from the Self-Defense Force and police officers sent from other prefectures took on the job of working towards recovery. They removed debris including wood and roofing from the road near Shounin Bridge in Ofunato on route 45. However, due to the continuing tsunami observation, work on lower ground is being taken cautiously, and is scheduled to continue beyond the 13th.They will give priority to work on route 45, then start work on roads in the main regions of Akasaki and Matsusaki, where access from Ofunato is difficult.
Together with work on the roads, they will be working hard to rescue and search for those still missing. On the coast, as well as fishing boats moored around the fishing port, and fish farming facilities, the Sanriku Fishery Center was destroyed. According to the city, the damage to the agricultural, forest and fishery industry is in excess of 12.4 billion yen. Also, they held a discussion with the prefecture about the setting up of temporary housing.
Then there is the city of Rikuzen Takata, where the 3-story city hall was flooded. One night since the tsunami, after 7am on the 12th, a headquarters for disaster measures was launched at the city's Kyushoku Center, and took on the job of collecting information from those taking shelter.
According to the city, as of 2:45pm on that same day, the safety of approximately 220 people remains unknown. The enshrining of the remains of those who were lost in the disaster has begun across all regions.
Among the schools that were able to confirm the safety of all their students is Takekoma Elementary School. Progress is slow with all the other schools and the city is asking the townspeople for any information.
There are 5889 people taking shelter at the 47 shelters across schools, community centers and welfare facilities. When o-bento lunch boxes are distributed at the shelters, names and addresses are asked of each recipient, which leads to the confirmation of the safety of separated family and friends. At each facility there is a lack of supplies including baby formula, disposable diapers and sanitary products, and those taking shelter are staying under harsh conditions.
The Self-Defense Force and the Tokyo fire fighting department have arrived in the city.
Mayor, Futoshi Toba, says, "We can only do what we can. We ask the Self- Defense Force for their help with lifesaving, while we devote all our power to securing the care, food, and heating for those in the shelters.
"The Ofunato Hirota Rikuzen Takata Road will be closed, and the Hirota Peninsula's state of isolation will continue. The Kesen Ohashi Bridge over Kesen River and the Aneha Bridge both collapsed and it is now difficult to get to Takata from Kesen.
（Tokai Shinpo 3/13/2011）
