KESENNUMA, Miyagi Prefecture--This tsunami-ravaged northeastern city has released 10,500 images online of the destruction caused by the 2011 disaster and subsequent reconstruction work.
KESENNUMA, Miyagi Prefecture--This tsunami-ravaged northeastern city has released 10,500 images online of the destruction caused by the 2011 disaster and subsequent reconstruction work.
The city made the photos and video footage available in the hope that they will assist in enhancing disaster preparedness and prevention. There are no restrictions on using the images on other websites or publications.
The images, mostly taken by local residents and volunteers from outside the city, cover the immediate aftermath of the disaster triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake through to 2014.
City officials added data to the materials, such as when and where the images were recorded. The project cost around 1.3 million yen ($11,000).
Many come with local scenery prior to the disaster to compare how the areas changed afterward.
The images were originally kept by the Great East Japan Earthquake digital archives support center.
The Japanese-language website is at (
To make a query, users can enter keywords such as "tsunami," "fire" and "volunteer," or combine them with place names like "Shishiori Elementary School district" or "Koizumi Junior High School."