On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck 371 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, with a depth of 24 kilometers. The earthquake caused a tsunami with waves of nine meters. According to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency, the combined total of confirmed and missing deaths was more than 22,000 – nearly 20,000 deaths and 2,500 missing. The deaths were caused by the initial earthquake and tsunami and by health conditions following the disaster. The tsunami swept away everything in its path, from houses, cars, boats, buildings and even entire blocks. The city of Kesennuma, in Miyagi prefecture, was one of the hardest hit.
It was the largest earthquake ever to hit Japan in its history.
