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Which parts of Japan were hit by the 2011 tsunami?
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tsunami
Aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia.
The 2011 tsunami primarily devastated the Pacific coastline of northeastern Japan, particularly within the Tōhoku region on the main island of Honshu.1
While the earthquake caused widespread damage across a broader area, the vast majority of deaths and destruction from the tsunami waves were concentrated in three specific prefectures:1
- Miyagi Prefecture: Suffered the most significant losses, with the highest number of casualties.1
- Iwate Prefecture: Experienced severe devastation along its coastal areas.1
- Fukushima Prefecture: Also faced catastrophic impacts, including the triggering of a major nuclear accident at a coastal power station.1
Numerous coastal cities and towns within these regions were inundated by the waves, which swept away homes, infrastructure, and vehicles. While the earthquake itself affected a wider range of locations—including Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures—the overwhelming majority of the disaster's fatalities were drowning victims of the tsunami in the three prefectures mentioned above.1