Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture



Kamaishi City, Iwate, (pop. 39,174) was devstated by a 10 meter tsunami less than 30 minutes after the massive quake on March 11. The area has a history of destruction by tsunami. In 1896 4,985 of the town's 6,529 people were killed by a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.6 quake.
                In 1933 another tsunami ravaged the town, this one triggered by a magnitude 8.5 quake.

     One of the sights in Kamaishi prior to the tsunami was a statue of the goddess Kannon nearly 50 meters tall. 
Today, March 16, the port was reopened and a ship carrying humanitarian relief supplies was able to dock.

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