How did the Natori River contribute to flooding near Sendai in 2011?

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earthquake damage, Honshu, Japan, 2011 — Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011 Aerial view of damage to a portion of the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan, following the offshore earthquake and resultant tsunami there on March 11, 2011.

During the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, the Natori River acted as a conduit for the destructive surge of water. As the massive tsunami waves struck the coast, they caused the river to overflow its banks. This overflow allowed the floodwaters to penetrate approximately 6 miles (10 km) inland, significantly exacerbating the inundation of low-lying areas near Sendai and the surrounding countryside.1