In what was the second act of a trilogy of disasters to strike Japan, the island nation felt the effects of a massive tsunami along its eastern coast line on March 11. The tsunami was caused by a sudden 8.9 magnitude tremor, that struck 250 miles northeast of the capital Tokyo, on March 10. The tsunami soon spread out, moving at a rate of 500 mph toward the Japanese coast and also Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States. All three of these areas were hit, but the worst damage, however, has been in Japan. Throughout northern Japan, coastal communities and cities were immediately flooded by tremendous walls of ocean water.
The first reports of casualties were that 350 people were dead, with around 500 people missing. The tsunami has not only destroyed thousands of homes, but caused fires to break out, disrupted the country's rail system, explosions to happen at an oil refinery and petrochemical plant, and, most seriously, damages to nuclear reactors along the eastern coast of Japan.
On Sunday, March 27, the National Police Agency, the central coordinating agency of Japan's police force, reported that 10,804 people are believed to be deceased while 16,244 are still missing or unaccounted for. The Japanese government has responded to the crisis by authorizing search and rescue operations for those stranded and missing because of the tsunami. There have also been massive relief missions to bring stability to regions that have suffered terrible damage. The international community has also been offered tremendous support to the government to aid in its relief efforts.
Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709598
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/12/world/asia/12japan.html
http://english.cri.cn/6966/2011/03/27/2681s628828.htm
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