Japan - US town learns from Japan tsunami

After the Great East Japan Earthquake hit Japan on March 11 last year, a tsunami reached the western coast of the United States, causing serious damage to the coastal area of Crescent City in northern California.

Although the city's destroyed harbour facilities have been almost completely restored, residents are now more aware about tsunami and the threats they pose.

At the harbour, many mid-sized crab fishing boats can be seen tied up to a pier, and one can see the Pacific Ocean beyond the breakwater.

Kathryn Murray, Crescent City's mayor, guided this reporter on a tour of the harbour.

Many berthing facilities at the port have almost been completely restored to their pre-tsunami conditions, though many are only temporary structures, she explained.

The mayor stood in front of a big, brand-new signboard with aerial photos comparing harbour conditions before and after the tsunami. In the photos, one can clearly see floating piers and swirling fishing boats.

Murray said the city set up the signboard to remember last year's tsunami and the damage it caused.

The first waves of the tsunami reached Crescent City's coast on the morning of Mar 11, 2011, about 10 hours after the Great East Japan Earthquake struck. The maximum height of the waves reached 2.5 metres.

The waves ravaged the harbour repeatedly, causing 16 fishing boats to sink and damaging an additional 60 boats.

At the time, there were about 85 fishing boats registered at the harbour. Almost all the boats were damaged, except those that were not moored there.

Harbour restoration work, such as salvaging sunken ships and repairing piers, cost a total of US$32 million (about 2.56 billion yen)--a heavy financial burden for a small city with a population of about 7,500.

Murray explained that while the tsunami following the 1964 Alaska earthquake had inundated the central area of the city, damage from last year's tsunami was limited to the harbour.

However, the mayor pointed out the city may have learned more this time around than they did in 1964.

According to Murray, local residents have come to understand how important predisaster preparations and quick evaucations are to saving people's lives after watching news reports from Japan.

About 4,000 residents live in areas considered to be vulnerable in the event of a tsunami. While the city government had carried out evacuation drills before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Murray noted residents have come to place a higher degree of importance on disaster response and preparedness than before.

Richard Young, chief executive officer of the Crescent City Harbour District, said he had heard Japanese survivors of the March 11 tsunami will tell future generations of their experiences and the resulting damage. Young said Crescent City residents should also make efforts to pass on the lessons from the tsunami to future generations as well.

Taro Nishijima

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Nishijima is a Los Angeles-based correspondent.

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