When the West looks at Japan, it’s strange that so much attention falls on the Japanese
nuclear plants when the tsunami – water, mud and debris – was by far the greater killer. The picture of the tsunami damage is becoming clearer all the time. Here, from my vantage point
of Singapore, is the latest summary:
Deaths: 11,938 people are dead. More than 7,000 of them died in Miyagi prefecture, over 3,000 in Iwate and 1,000 in Fukushima. 15,478 people are missing. The death toll rises daily. Searches are on for orphans.
Displacement: 164,200 people have been evacuated due to the tsunami and live in makeshift shelters. Only one-third of these are regularly served warm food, says a Mainichi survey. 220,000 homes still do not have running water and 170,000 are without power. The weather is expected to remain cool through April.
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