Mobile Smile Project

Research report in disaster area

With the cooperation of Waibi building materials trading company, we examined disaster areas on 4/3~4/5, 2011.

April 3 ①

Watari-cho, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 238 missing/ 54
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: 1000 Partial destruction: 1000
Lifeline / Power supply: mostly recovered Gas: none Water supply: mostly recovered

This is the area we visited first, taking the exit from Murata IC. The town which looked normal at first, completely changes after a certain spot with a clear border as we drove by. Even a 5m river dyke was helpless.

 

April 3 ②

Sendai Airport, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
It was used as U.S. Armed Forces camp.

 

April 3 ③

Natori city, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 833 missing/ 1000
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: under investigation Partial destruction: under investigation
Lifeline / Power supply: mostly recovered Gas: mostly recovered Water supply: mostly recovered

As an overview, although the light steel frame was a total wreck, the buildings of weight steel frame and RC remain in this area. At the port, the piles of rubble were found here and there. There were ships and timbers found at the point where tsunami had reached.

 

April 3 ④

Arahamashin Wakabayashi-ku Sendai city, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 494 missing/ under investigation
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: under investigation Partial destruction: under investigation
Lifeline / Power supply: partially recovered Gas: partially recovered Water supply: mostly recovered

Almost none of the houses were left in this new residential area. Houses were destroyed by the windbreak forest, which was completely washed away and collided with houses.

 

April 4 ②

Matsushima-cho, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 1 missing/ 7
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: 45 Partial destruction: 56
Lifeline / Power supply: recovered Gas: none Water supply: mostly recovered

The town is located inside the gulf and the small islands protected the town from the tsunami disaster. Although Zuigan-ji Temple had a partial damage from the earthquake, the town did not suffer severe damages.

 

April 4 ③

Higashimatsushima city, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 848 missing/ under investigation
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: under investigation Partial destruction: under investigation
Lifeline / Power supply: partially recovered Gas: none Water supply: partially recovered

A windbreak forest in this area was also washed away completely. The ground of this area where a canal used to flow, had been collapsed.

 

April 4 ④

Minamihama-cho Ishinomaki city, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 2482 missing/ 2770
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: 28000 Partial destruction: under investigation
Lifeline / Power supply: mostly recovered Gas: under investigation Water supply: partially recovered

The area caught the fire along with tsunami damages. It was a terrible state. Buildings with rigidity wall and constructed with reinforced concrete remained.

 

April 4 ⑤

Around Watanoha Station Ishinomaki city, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)

It is an area approximately 6km Eeast from Minamihama-cho. The damages of the building caused by the tsunami was limited. However, the ground sank approximately 1m in this whole area.

 

April 4 ⑥

Onagawa-cho, Miyagi Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 369 missing/ 873
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: under investigation Partial destruction: under investigation
Lifeline / Power supply: partially recovered Gas: none Water supply: suspended in whole area

In this area, even the weight steel frame changed its form. Furthermore, the reinforced concrete buildings were also broken from the stake and tilted in sideways. We learned that the power of the tsunami was dreadful.

 

April 5 ①

Rikuzentakata city, Iwate Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 1162 missing/ 1212
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: Partial destruction:
Lifeline / Power supply: partially recovered Gas: Water supply: partially recovered

Tsunami reached this area, 6km inland from the ocean, through the river flowing backward. Though it was the main part of Rikuzentakata city, now it appears completely different from how it used to look. The reinforced concrete buildings were swept away, leaving only the stake and footing behind.

 

April 5 ②

Ofunato city, Iwate Prefecture (As of April 6, 2011)
Human damages/ deaths: 281 missing/ 225
Damaged houses/ Complete destruction: 3629 Partial destruction:
Lifeline / Power supply: partially recovered Gas: Water supply: partially recovered

The area had lot of factories of the plywood. A huge amount of plywood in the photograph were submerged in water and cannot use as construction materials.