BY THE NUMBERS: Recovering from the tsunami, 5 years on
Posted March 11, 2016 6:00 am
TOKYO (AP) - Friday marks the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. Here's a look, by the numbers, at the March 11, 2011, disaster:
___
15,894: People killed by the tsunami and earthquake.
2,561: People missing and presumed dead.
___
12: Prefectures affected by the disaster out of 47 in Japan.
___
25.5 trillion yen: The cost ($225 billion) of reconstruction in the first five years.
6.5 trillion yen: The cost ($58 billion) planned for reconstruction over the next five years.
___
470,000: People evacuated in March 2011.
180,000: People who still have not returned home.
___
121,803: Houses destroyed.
64,988: People still in prefabricated temporary housing.
60: Percent of planned public housing completed.
___
27: Percent of coastline forests intended for tsunami prevention restored.
45: Percent of retailers and companies with sales back to pre-disaster levels.
70: Percent of fishing ports, farmland repaired for reuse.
90: Percent of railway tracks restored.
___
20 million: Foreign tourists visited Japan.
500,000: Foreign tourists visited three tsunami-hit northern prefectures.
___
31 million: Metric tons of debris created by the quake and tsunami.
25 million: Metric tons of debris treated.
13 million: Metric tons recycled as construction materials to build seawalls and ports.
6 million: Metric tons still in temporary storage in Fukushima.
___
Source: Reconstruction Agency
In this March 8, 2016 photo, a truck guide controls the traffic at the entrance of a reconstruction area in Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/ Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 7, 2016 photo, cranes are seen through tall weeds at new sea wall at a coast line in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/ Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 7, 2016 photo, a concrete mixture truck passes by a poster featuring Japanese Prime Minister Shizo Abe with Japanese read as "Show the result by economy" near the ground-level raising work area in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/ Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 8, 2016 photo, a surveyor works near trucks in queue to dump soil for ground-level raising work area in Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/ Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 8, 2016 photo, a tsunami damaged area under the ground-level raising work is seen from a hill in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/ Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 7, 2016 photo, women walk past a sign in Japanese reads as "In your center, Minamisanriku Pride" in Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 7, 2016 photo, a truck guide stands near the keep-out sigh at the ground-level raising work area in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/ Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 7, 2016 photo, the rail trucks are still remain partially at Oya-kaigan station, in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
In this March 8, 2016 photo, the view of city is seen as tall weeds grow in Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan. Japan on Friday, March 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan, swallowing coastal villages, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing and devastating large swaths of the country's northeastern coastal area. Some places are still unlivable and require massive reconstruction to restore infrastructure, houses and people's lives. (AP Photo/ Eugene Hoshiko)
The Associated Press
People offer incense stick to mourn the victims of the deadly March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in Natori, Miyagi prefecture, northeastern Japan early Friday, March 11, 2016. Japan marks the fifth anniversary of the disaster on Friday. The sign reads "We never forget." (Jun Hirata/Kyodo News via AP) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT
The Associated Press
A man visits a monument to mourn the victims of the deadly March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, northeastern Japan early Friday, March 11, 2016. Japan marks the fifth anniversary of the disaster on Friday. (Nobuki Ito/Kyodo News via AP) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT
The Associated Press
The sun rises behind the lone pine tree that miraculously survived the deadly March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan Friday, March 11, 2016. Japan marks the fifth anniversary of the disaster on Friday. (Kota Endo/Kyodo News via AP) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT
The Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.