Two years after Japan tsunami, debris spreads in US
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The debris are piled at a stricken area of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Two years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 in Japan, residents of coastal towns flattened by the wall of water are still trying to recover. The slow pace of reconstruction is taking a psychological toll on survivors, while radiation from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant adds to the anxiety. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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Katsuko Nagano, left, and Suiko Yoshida offer prayers for the victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami at their family's grave, a day before the second anniversary of the disaster, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Sunday, March 10, 2013. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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Tsunami-stricken area is seen through the broken windows of a building at Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Two years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 in Japan, residents of coastal towns flattened by the wall of water are still trying to recover. The slow pace of reconstruction is taking a psychological toll on survivors, while radiation from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant adds to the anxiety. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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A family offer prayers for the victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in front of the 330 ton fishing vessel Kyotoku Maru No. 18 which was flung 800m inland from Kesennuma port by the tsunami in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Two years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 in Japan, residents of coastal towns flattened by the wall of water are still trying to recover. The slow pace of reconstruction is taking a psychological toll on survivors, while radiation from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant adds to the anxiety. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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Protesters hold banners and flags during an anti-nuclear demonstration in Tokyo, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Gathering on a weekend ahead of the second anniversary of the March 11 quake and tsunami that sent Fukushima Dai-ichi plant into multiple meltdowns, demonstrators said they would never forget the world’s worst nuclear catastrophe, and expressed alarm over the government’s eagerness to restart reactors. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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In this Sunday, March 11, 2012 file photo, a girl waits her turn to release a lantern into the waters of Tokyo Bay to mark the anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami which devastated north-east Japan, in Tokyo. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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In this Monday, May 30, 2011 file photo, the arm of a mannequin sticks out from the rubble in a devastated neighbourhood in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, in north-eastern Japan which was destroyed in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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In this Sunday, March 11, 2012 file photo, Mika Hashikai, 37, mourns for her mother and father, victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, north-eastern Japan. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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In this Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, the Unit 4 reactor building of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station is seen through a bus window in Okuma, Japan. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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This combination photo taken March 13, 2011, top, and Saturday, March 2, 2013, shows the frames of Disaster Prevention Office building, center, and its surrounding area in Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the northeastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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This combination photo taken April 10, 2011, left, and Friday, March 1, 2013, shows an aerial view of Kamaishi Port in Kamaishi, Iwate prefectutre. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the northeastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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This combination photo taken March 11, 2011, top, and Wednesday, March 6, 2013 shows a coastal residential area in Natori, Miyagi prefecture. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the north-eastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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This combination photo shows a street in Miyako, Iwate prefecture, March 12, 2011, left, and Friday, March 1, 2013. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the northeastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
The debris are piled at a stricken area of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Two years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 in Japan, residents of coastal towns flattened by the wall of water are still trying to recover. The slow pace of reconstruction is taking a psychological toll on survivors, while radiation from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant adds to the anxiety. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Katsuko Nagano, left, and Suiko Yoshida offer prayers for the victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami at their family's grave, a day before the second anniversary of the disaster, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Sunday, March 10, 2013. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Tsunami-stricken area is seen through the broken windows of a building at Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Two years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 in Japan, residents of coastal towns flattened by the wall of water are still trying to recover. The slow pace of reconstruction is taking a psychological toll on survivors, while radiation from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant adds to the anxiety. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
A family offer prayers for the victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in front of the 330 ton fishing vessel Kyotoku Maru No. 18 which was flung 800m inland from Kesennuma port by the tsunami in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Two years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 in Japan, residents of coastal towns flattened by the wall of water are still trying to recover. The slow pace of reconstruction is taking a psychological toll on survivors, while radiation from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant adds to the anxiety. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Protesters hold banners and flags during an anti-nuclear demonstration in Tokyo, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Gathering on a weekend ahead of the second anniversary of the March 11 quake and tsunami that sent Fukushima Dai-ichi plant into multiple meltdowns, demonstrators said they would never forget the world’s worst nuclear catastrophe, and expressed alarm over the government’s eagerness to restart reactors. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
In this Sunday, March 11, 2012 file photo, a girl waits her turn to release a lantern into the waters of Tokyo Bay to mark the anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami which devastated north-east Japan, in Tokyo. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
In this Monday, May 30, 2011 file photo, the arm of a mannequin sticks out from the rubble in a devastated neighbourhood in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, in north-eastern Japan which was destroyed in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
In this Sunday, March 11, 2012 file photo, Mika Hashikai, 37, mourns for her mother and father, victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, north-eastern Japan. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
In this Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, the Unit 4 reactor building of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station is seen through a bus window in Okuma, Japan. Japan marks two years since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on Monday, March 11. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
This combination photo taken March 13, 2011, top, and Saturday, March 2, 2013, shows the frames of Disaster Prevention Office building, center, and its surrounding area in Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the northeastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
This combination photo taken April 10, 2011, left, and Friday, March 1, 2013, shows an aerial view of Kamaishi Port in Kamaishi, Iwate prefectutre. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the northeastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
This combination photo taken March 11, 2011, top, and Wednesday, March 6, 2013 shows a coastal residential area in Natori, Miyagi prefecture. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the north-eastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
This combination photo shows a street in Miyako, Iwate prefecture, March 12, 2011, left, and Friday, March 1, 2013. Japan next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the northeastern Pacific coast of the country. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the mountain of water that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away and killing nearly 19,000 people, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground to make space for relocation of survivors has barely begun. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Two years ago, the yellow buoy was hanging as part of a restaurant sign in the coastal community of Minamisanriku in northern Japan when an earthquake triggered a tsunami and washed it - and so much more - out to sea.
About a year later, the buoy was found more than 4,800km away on a remote Alaska island, discovered by an avid beachcomber who, through sheer coincidence, was later able to find the owner, who had lost her home and business.
Hundreds of similar buoys have been found on beaches along the West Coast, a combination of the everyday trash that has plagued coastal areas for years and debris washed away by the March 11, 2011 disaster.
Distinguishing between the two is difficult. Just 21 items from among the more than 1,500 reports of possible tsunami debris have been firmly traced back to the tsunami, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The confirmed items include several derelict vessels, including a small boat found in Hawaii waters, large docks that have washed ashore in Washington state and Oregon and a motorcycle that washed ashore off the coast of British Columbia.
