TOKYO (AP) -- Last Sunday was the six-month anniversary
of the day the massive earthquake and
tsunami devastated Japan's northeast coast.
Some 20,000 people are dead or missing. More than 800,000 homes were
completely or partially destroyed. The disaster crippled businesses,
roads and infrastructure. The Japanese Red Cross Society estimates
that 400,000 people were displaced.
Half a year later, there are physical signs of progress.
Much of the debris has been cleared away or at least organized into
big piles. In the port city of Kesennuma, many of the boats carried
inland by the tsunami have been removed. Most evacuees have moved
out of high school gyms and into temporary shelters or apartments.
Last week the
Kyodo News agency distributed an amazing group of combination
photographs showing three scenes. The first scene is right after the
earthquake and tsunami hit, then three months later and finally, how
the scene looks now.
(44 images)
This combination of three photos taken over a six-month period shows
aftermath of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its cleanup progress in
Wakabayashi-ward in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, in northeastern
Japan. The left photo, taken March 16, 2011, shows debris of houses
and vehicles cover the area after the tsunami. The middle photo,
taken June 2, 2011, shows some debris and cars were removed, while
the right photo taken Sept. 3, 2011 shows student volunteers getting
rid of smaller rubble in a cleared field. AP / Kyodo News
This combination of three photos taken over a six-month period shows
aftermath of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its cleanup progress in
Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, in northeastern Japan. The left photo,
taken March 12, 2011, shows The No. 18 Kyotokumaru fishing vessel
sitting amid still smoldering debris after being swept away from a
port by the tsunami. The middle photo, taken June 3, 2011, the ship
staying along with collected damaged vehicles. The last photo taken
Sept. 5, 2011, shows the ship sitting in the same position amid
almost cleared land. Kyodo News reported that there is a movement
among citizens to keep the ship as it is as a monument of the
disaster. AP / Kyodo News

This combo image, the initial destruction and progress of cleanup
after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami is seen in
Kesennuma, northern Japan. The left photo, taken March 24, 2011
shows the
fishing boats swept away by tsunami and left on land. The middle
photo, taken June 3, 2011 shows the boats stay in the same position
in the area almost unchanged and the right photo taken Sept. 5, 2011
shows the area after the boats were removed.
AP / Kyodo News
This combination of three photos taken over a six month period shows
the March 11 tsunami, and its aftermath, in Natori, Miyagi
prefecture, northern Japan. The top photo, taken March 11, 2011
shows the tsunami rushing towards an urban area immediately after an
earthquake. The middle photo, taken June 3, 2011, shows the same
area with one remaining house, while the bottom photo, taken Sept.
6, 2011, shows the area after the house was removed. AP / Kyodo
News

This combination of three photos taken over a six-month period shows
aftermath of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its cleanup progress in
Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, in northeastern Japan. The top photo,
taken March 12, 2011, shows debris of houses, ships and others being
washed in to the port and against the breakwater by the tsunami. The
middle photo, taken June 3, 2011, shows the floating debris was
almost taken away from the water. The last photo, taken Sept. 6,
2011, shows sunken ships were removed and damaged houses were almost
cleared. AP / Kyodo News

This combination of three photos taken over a six-month period shows
aftermath of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its cleanup progress in
Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, in northeast Japan. The top photo, taken
April 6, 2011, shows a sightseeing boat "Hamayuri" sitting on top of
a two-story inn after the tsunami. The middle photo, taken June 3,
2011, shows the same inn after the boat was removed, while the
bottom photo taken Sept. 1, 2011 shows the inn standing after nearby
debris was almost removed. AP / Kyodo News
This combination of three photos taken over a six month period shows
the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its aftermath in Iwanuma, Miyagi
Prefecture, in northeast Japan. The top photo, taken March 11, 2011,
shows tsunami surging across the coastal area. The middle photo,
taken June 3, 2011 shows the same area still partially flooded,
while the bottom photo taken Sept. 6, 2011 shows grass growing in
once flooded area. AP / Kyodo News
This combo image, the initial destruction and progress of cleanup
after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami is seen in
Otsuchicho, Iwate prefecture, northern Japan. The top photo, taken
March 14, 2011 shows buildings standing amid the debris. The middle
photo, taken June 3, 2011 and the bottom photo, taken Sept. 7 show
the cleanup and demolition are still in progress. AP / Kyodo News
This combo image, the initial destruction and progress of cleanup
after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami is seen in
Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan. The top photo, taken
March 13, shows a street covered by debris burnt by a fire. The
middle photo, taken June 3, 2011 shows a partial clean-up of the
same street, while the bottom photo taken Sept. 1, 2011 shows the
area after the debris was removed. AP / Kyodo News
This combination of three photos taken over a six month period shows
the March 11 tsunami and its aftermath at Sendai Airport in Sendai,
Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan. The top photo taken March 11,
2011 shows the tsunami engulfing the airport immediately after an
earthquake. The middle photo, taken June 3, 2011 and the bottom
photo, taken Sept. 6, 2011 show the restored and reopened airport.
AP / Kyodo News
This combo image, the initial destruction and progress of cleanup
after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami is seen in
Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, in northeast Japan. The top photo,
taken March 15, 2011, shows a military truck drives through a road
flooded by the tsunami. The middle photo, taken June 4, 2011, shows
partial clean-up of the same area after the water receded, while the
bottom photo taken Sept. 5, 2011 shows a used-car shop resumed
business, left top, in the area after the debris were removed. AP
/ Kyodo News

This combo image, the initial destruction and progress of cleanup
after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami is seen in
Higashimatsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, in northeast Japan. The top
photo, taken March 14, 2011, shows Japan Self-Defense Force
personnel search for victims near stranded fishing boats and damage
from the tsunami. The middle photo, taken June 3, 2011, shows a
temporary dump set up in the same area, while the bottom photo taken
Sept. 1, 2011 shows a stranded ship still sits in the area after the
debris were removed. AP / Kyodo News

This combo image, the initial destruction and progress of cleanup
after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami is seen in
Matsukawaura fishing port in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, in
northeast Japan. The top photo, taken March 13, 2011, shows stranded
fishing boats and damage from the tsunami. The middle photo, taken
June 3, 2011, shows partial clean-up of the same area, while the
bottom photo taken Sept. 6, 2011 shows the area after the stranded
ships were removed. AP / Kyodo News

This combination of three photos taken over a six-month period shows
aftermath of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its cleanup progress in
Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, in northeastern Japan. The top
photo, taken March 18, 2011, shows police and fire fighting vehicles
parked in the middle of the rubble after the tsunami. The middle
photo, taken June 6, 2011, shows two workers walking in the same
area while debris removing works go on in the background, while the
bottom photo taken Sept. 5, 2011 shows a man on a bicycle pedaling
past the grass-covered land. AP / Kyodo News
This combination of two photos taken over a six-month period shows
aftermath of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its cleanup progress in
Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, in northeastern Japan. The top photo,
taken March 11, 2011, people walking on debris of devastated houses
covering a road after the tsunami while the bottom photo taken Sept.
1, 2011 shows the same road with debris totally removed. AP /
Kyodo News