JAPAN: Thousands homeless in Japanese port city levelled by tsunami

Record ID: 1958343

  • Title: JAPAN: Thousands homeless in Japanese port city levelled by tsunami
  • Date: 15th March 2011
  • Summary: OFUNATO, IWATE PREFECTURE, JAPAN (MARCH 15, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (CCTV - NO ACCESS CHINA) DEBRIS OF HOUSES NEAR SEA TRACKING VIEW OF DAMAGED HOUSES ALONG THE ROAD VARIOUS OF DAMAGED HOUSES DESTROYED UPPER STOREYS OF HOUSE SHIP WASHED INLAND SHIP AMID DEBRIS JEEP PASSING DEBRIS RESCUE WORKERS AMID DEBRIS VARIOUS OF DAMAGED HOUSES VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS CLEARING DEBRIS ENTRANCE OF A SHELTER EVACUEES ON FLOOR OF SHELTER EVACUEES SITTING ON BLANKET EVACUEE SLEEPING ON WHEELCHAIR EVACUEES SLEEPING
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA9YK853E3XBVEORP268NJDOKBX
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The full extent of the destruction wreaked by last Friday's massive quake and tsunami that followed is still becoming clear, as rescuers combed through the region north of Tokyo where officials say at least 10,000 people were killed.
    Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture is one the cities badly hit by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami.
    Over 2,500 houses have been destroyed and more than 7,000 residents are homeless.
    Sitting on the Pacific coast, Ofunato boasted a flourishing fishing industry. People living in the region were known for longevity, thanks to a healthy seafood diet.
    Ofunato is no stranger to tsunamis. In 1960 it was hit by a tsunami caused by a Chile quake.
    But last Friday's (March 11) tsunami was unprecedented.
    Houses were levelled, vehicles swept away, and ships were washed inland. The port city lay in ruins.
    A big ship has been washed onshore, showing the violent force of the tsunami.
    Homeless residents of Ofunato are staying in evacuation centers.
    Many of the elderly had lived in the city for most of their lives. Now they have seen their homes washed away.
    The quake and tsunami have cut water and electricity supplies, and telecommunication lines are also down.
    A road leading to the city center is still intact and has allowed rescue and relief workers to enter.
    A Chinese International Search and Rescue Team arrived in Ofunato late on Sunday (March 13) to join rescue operations, broadcaster CCTV reported.
    Chinese rescuers found a body in a severely damaged house Tuesday morning (March 15) and the body was passed on to the local authorities, CCTV said.
    China has sent a 15-member rescue team to Japan and pledged 30 million yuan (4.5 million U.S. dollars) worth of relief materials.
    Almost two million households in the freezing north are without power and about 1.4 million have no running water.
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