Four
and half years have passed after the Great East Japan Earthquake. I, with my colleagues, visited the Sanriku Coast area of Iwate
Prefecture, where the tsunami disaster made serious damages.
We
moved up from south to north: Kesennuma (Miyagi Prefecture), Rikuzentakata,
Ofunato, Kamaishi, and Otsuchi.
The
works to hike the level of the lands were under way in many places. The scenes
were impressive. (the left photo was taken in Otsuchi Town).
The
roadside rest facility in Rikuzentakata was heavily destroyed by tsunami on March 11, 2011. (the top photo)
Many people were killed here. We received an explanation from a local
guide (who was also hit by the disaster) in front of the preserved building. The
tsunami reached 14.5 meter high here.
The coast were covered with thousands of pine trees. All but one trees were washed away. The miracle pine tree was judged dead after several months, and the shape was preserved after having artificial treatments. It attracts tourists.
The
city decided to develop new residential areas in the elevated lands and in the
hilly areas. The lower lands are planned to be used only for public spaces and
business purposes. Construction machines were moving everywhere.
Giant
belt conveyors were used to carry the soil collected in the mountain to lower
lands. The operation was over in September, but they still remained.
Many
things remain unclear. The biggest question might be whether the residents
return to the area when the works are completed.
A dome farm has been developed outside the central city. They produce lettuce here.
Many
temporary prefabricated houses and stores still remain in many places in the
area. The shopping area in Ofunato is one example. This place will stop the
operation shortly as new supermarkets and shopping houses have been built
nearby.
We
rode a railway from Koigahama station in Ofunato city to Kamaishi station. The
railway got a heavy damage in the quake and recovered in 2014.
The train was presented by the Kuwait government.
There
is a factory of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal just in front of Kamaishi
station. The city developed with the steel maker. With downsizing of the
factory, the population of the city decreased in decades. The earthquake and
tsunami disaster hit the area in such business conditions.
Unosumai
area, north from central Kamaishi, was severely hit by tsunami. A new rugby stadium
is planned to be built to hold matched in 2019 in the Rugby World Cup.
Otsuchi
Town got serious damages by tsunami. The mayor (town manager) as well as many town
staff was killed. There are many public servants sent from the local
governments throughout the nation working here.
The
damaged town office still remains. The opinion spreads whether or not to
preserve the building.
A
reconstruction plan was made. The works to make new elevated lands, roads and
other facilities have already started. Again, there remains a big question:
whether people will come back even after the completion of the construction
works. The question seems deeply related to the basic policy of rural
developments.
The
signs to show the tsunami and earthquake information were everywhere.
The
situation is still hard and it is not easy to reconstruct the areas – this is
what I honestly felt in Sanriku Coast.
I reaffirmed the efforts made by many
people of local communities, NGOs and other institutions in private and public
sectors. I saw many smiles of the people in the
hotels, restaurants, shopping stores and other facilities, that was good.
