The March 11 earthquake and tsunami that slammed into Japan's northeast, wiping out towns and killing thousands of people, appears to be the most expensive natural disaster on record. More than 11,000 bodies have been recovered, but officials say the final death toll is expected to exceed 18,000. Hundreds of thousands of people remain homeless, their homes and livelihoods destroyed. Damage could amount to $310 billion.
Fisherman Yutaka Watanabe sits on the roof of a destroyed house while looking for missing family members in Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture on March 28, 2011.
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force pray for victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at a mass grave site in Yamamoto, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
A relative of victim of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami cries at a mass grave site in Yamamoto, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
New Suzuki vehicles, destroyed by tsunami waters from the March 11 massive earthquake, are piled on the Suzuki company lot, Tuesday, March 29, 2011 in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, Japan.
A survivor takes a rest at a shelter in the devastated town of Watari, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
A woman looks for relics around her damaged house in Watari, northern Japan Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
Japanese police walk along a path through the destruction of the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Rikuzentakata, northeastern Japan Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
Japan Coast Guard divers inspect the wreckage of a house, washed away to the sea by the March 11 tsunami, floating in a bay in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
Destroyed helicopters rest at Sendai Airport, Miyagi prefecture on March 29, 2011.
Reiko Kikuta, right, and her husband Takeshi Kikuta stand on the port as workers attempt to attach ropes to their submerged home to try to pull it ashore with construction equipment on Oshima Island in northeastern Japan Monday, March 28, 2011.
Tokyo Metro Police officers in protective suites search for missing residents at the site of a giant tsunami triggered by the March 11 earthquake in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, Monday, March 28, 2011.
A family member retrieves photographs of her missing grand father and mother's old photos amongst debris in Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture on March 28, 2011.
Japanese rescue teams comb the rubble looking for more bodies March 27, 2011 in Kensennuma, Japan.
A Japanese woman rests in front of her damaged home in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan Sunday, March 27, 2011.
::: Japan: One week later :::
Japan Earthquake Pictures
Fisherman Yutaka Watanabe sits on the roof of a destroyed house while looking for missing family members in Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture on March 28, 2011.
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force pray for victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at a mass grave site in Yamamoto, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
A relative of victim of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami cries at a mass grave site in Yamamoto, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
New Suzuki vehicles, destroyed by tsunami waters from the March 11 massive earthquake, are piled on the Suzuki company lot, Tuesday, March 29, 2011 in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, Japan.
A survivor takes a rest at a shelter in the devastated town of Watari, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
A woman looks for relics around her damaged house in Watari, northern Japan Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
Japanese police walk along a path through the destruction of the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Rikuzentakata, northeastern Japan Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
Japan Coast Guard divers inspect the wreckage of a house, washed away to the sea by the March 11 tsunami, floating in a bay in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
Destroyed helicopters rest at Sendai Airport, Miyagi prefecture on March 29, 2011.
Reiko Kikuta, right, and her husband Takeshi Kikuta stand on the port as workers attempt to attach ropes to their submerged home to try to pull it ashore with construction equipment on Oshima Island in northeastern Japan Monday, March 28, 2011.
Tokyo Metro Police officers in protective suites search for missing residents at the site of a giant tsunami triggered by the March 11 earthquake in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, Monday, March 28, 2011.
A family member retrieves photographs of her missing grand father and mother's old photos amongst debris in Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture on March 28, 2011.
Japanese rescue teams comb the rubble looking for more bodies March 27, 2011 in Kensennuma, Japan.
A Japanese woman rests in front of her damaged home in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan Sunday, March 27, 2011.
::: Japan: One week later :::
Japan Earthquake Pictures
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