Japan on Thursday, mourned about 20,000 victims as it marked the 10th anniversary of a massive earthquake measuring 9 on the richter scale and tsunami destroying towns and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.
Several survivors lives are still on hold in the region that was affected by the disaster.
People walked towards the coast of the town to pray for their loved ones who were washed away by the tsunami wave that was reported to be at least 130 feet. Residents gathered to decorate the Akiba shrine, a symbol of resilience for the survivors with paper cranes, flowers and yellow handkerchiefs with messages of hope sent by students from across the country. The Akiba shrine was barely damaged by the tsunami, even though nearby houses and structures were destroyed.
The disaster destroyed over 120,000 buildings. Damages were caused to businesses, roads and other infrastructure for hundreds of miles. Damage caused by the tremors set off a triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing people to evacuate. More than half a million people were displaced as a result of the triple disaster.
The meltdown at the nuclear power plant turned nearby communities into ghost towns, where people are still unable to return as some areas are still off-limits due to radioactive contamination. The nuclear plant leak is the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Lingering radiation impact has limited Fukushima's recovery efforts.
The ceremony commemorating the 2011 disaster is just two weeks before the Olympic torch run that begins at Fukushima ahead of the delayed Tokyo Summer Games in July.
The Japanese government has spent about $300 million to rebuild the region. While commemorating the disaster, Emperor Naruhito said, “Still many topics remain to be tackled in disaster areas.” He also said he hopes to build a strong nation that can endure disasters. Prime Minister Yoshihide suga said, “We must never forget lessons learnt in disaster to protect the nation. “Will continue to provide support as needed to rebuild lives, he told Reuters.
