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A whirlpool caused by the March 11, 2011 tsunami is seen near Oarai City, Ibaraki prefecture, in this image taken March 11, 2011 (L), with the same area being shown on March 3, 2012, in this combination photo released by Kyodo on March 7, 2012, ahead of the one-year anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
The tsunami-devastated Yamada town in Iwate prefecture is seen in two images taken on March 14, 2011 (top) and March 1, 2012
A tsunami-devastated area in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, is seen in these aerial view images taken March 12, 2011 (L) and March 3, 2012
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture, is seen in these aerial view images taken in October 2008 (top) and on February 26, 2012
The tsunami and earthquake-hit Iwaki city in Fukushima prefecture is seen in these images taken March 11, 2011 (top) and March 7, 2012
The tsunami-devastated Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture is seen in these images taken March 15, 2011 (top) and March 6, 2012
The tsunami-devastated Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture is seen in these images taken March 18, 2011 (top) and March 1, 2012
A tsunami-devastated area is seen in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, in this aerial view images taken March 12, 2011 (top) and March 1, 2012
The tsunami-devastated Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture, is seen in these images taken March 13, 2011 (top) and March 1, 2012
The tsunami-devastated Natori city in Miyagi prefecture, is seen in these images taken March 11, 2011 (top) and March 1, 2012
A combination photograph shows the same location on a street in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan on two different dates, March 11, 2011 (top) and February 17, 2012 (bottom). The top photograph shows a tsunami wave crashing onto a street after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the bottom photograph shows the same location almost a year later.
A combination photograph shows the same location on a street in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan on two different dates, March 11, 2011 (top) and February 17, 2012 (bottom). The top photograph shows a tsunami wave crashing onto a street after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the bottom photograph shows the same location almost a year later.
The tsunami-devastated Minamisanriku town in Miyagi prefecture is seen in these images taken March 13, 2011 (top) and March 3, 2012
The tsunami-devastated Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture is seen in these images taken March 13, 2011 (top) and March 1, 2012
The tsunami-devastated Otsuchi town in Iwate prefecture, is seen in these images taken March 14, 2011 (top) and March 1, 2012
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