What kinds of debris did the 2011 tsunami carry back into the sea?

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The 2011 tsunami caused widespread destruction along the Pacific coastline of Japan. As the massive floodwaters inundated coastal cities, towns, and farmland, they swept away an enormous volume of material.

When these waters retreated back into the sea, they carried with them a vast array of debris, including:

  • Houses1
  • Boats1
  • Cars1
  • Trucks1

In addition to these items, the receding waters also carried away thousands of victims who had been caught in the deluge. The resulting landscape was left covered in great piles of mud and debris, creating a "sea of destruction" that significantly hampered initial relief and recovery efforts. By early 2015, the Japanese government reported that nearly all of this disaster-related debris had been successfully removed.23