Aerial high angle view of Kesennuma city and its fishing port revealing its state of destruction by the 2011 tsunami


Kesennuma (気仙沼市) is a city located in the extreme northeast of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It was one of the worst affected areas of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami with large sections of the city destroyed. Over 1000 have been reported dead and several hundred listed missing. The city is slowly picking up its pieces and on the 1st Anniversary of the 2011 tragedy, a memorial service "Light from 311 Japan (311Hikari)" was held at Kesennuma []. Perhaps the most visible representation of the impact of the tsunami was the stranded Kyotoku Maru 18 fishing vessel. The vessel was washed about 750m inland. There were initial plans to preserve the ship as a memorial. However, segments of the local population, and the owner of the ship, wants the ship to be dismantled and removed from the site. They do not wish to be reminded of the tragic event. Moreover, the location of the ship was deemed interfering with reconstruction efforts. The ship was slated to be dismantled in April 2013.


Size: 4889px × 2751px
Location: Kawarada 1 Chome, Kesennuma-shi, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Photo credit: © Moonie's World / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1st, 311, 2011, anniversary, building, damage, damaged, debris, destruction, disaster, disasters, earthquake, economy, exterior, fishing, japan, kesennuma, local, miyagi, morning, natural, people, port, rubble, sea, tohoku, tsunami, wop, year, 日本, 東日本大震災, 気仙沼